10. Source summary table and site plan

A Source Summary Table is an efficient means to present information about the sources of air emissions from a facility and is a required component of an ESDM report. The information in a Source Summary Table is intended for use as inputs to the approved dispersion models as set out in Chapter 10 Source Summary Table And Site Plan of this Procedure Document. A scaled site plan is also required as part of an ESDM report and assists, among other things, in the locating of sources and property boundaries.

10.1 Source summary table

Paragraph 8 of subsection 26 (1) of the Regulation sets out the information that is required for a Source Summary Table:

Under subsection 26 (1) of the regulation – contents of ESDM report:

8. A table, labelled as the “Source Summary Table”, that shows, for each source of contaminant identified under subparagraph 3 ii as a source of contaminant that was considered, with respect to a contaminant listed under paragraph 4, when using an approved dispersion model for the purpose of this section,

  1. a label that identifies the source of contaminant,
  2. the averaging periods for which the approved dispersion model was used with respect to that contaminant and source of contaminant,
  3. for each averaging period referred to in subparagraph ii,
    1. the emission rate for the contaminant and source of contaminant,
    2. an indication of the method used to estimate the emission rate for the contaminant and source of contaminant,
    3. an indication of how significantly the method used may overestimate or underestimate the emission rate for the contaminant and source of contaminant, and
    4. the percentage that the emission rate for the contaminant and source of contaminant represents of the total emission rate for the contaminant and all sources of contaminant that were considered, with respect to the contaminant, when using an approved dispersion model for the purpose of this section,
  4. the volumetric flow rate for discharges from the source of contaminant,
  5. the temperature of discharges from the source of contaminant,
  6. the height above ground level that discharges are released into the air from the source of contaminant,
  7. the difference between the height referred to in subparagraph vi and the height above ground level of the structure that is nearest to the source of contaminant and is on the same property, and an indication of whether discharges are released into the air from the source of contaminant at a height above or below the top of that structure, and
  8. the dimensions of the part of the source of contaminant from which discharges are released into the natural environment.

Appendix D includes two suggested formats for a Source Summary Table, however, the contaminant-based format is generally more appropriate and easier to use when identifying the most significant contributors to a POI concentration. Other formats for the table may be used as long as the format includes all of the information required by paragraph 8 of subsection 26 (1) of the Regulation. Note: A Source Summary Table should contain sufficient information to correlate the contaminant and the source.

Applying for an ECA

Applicants for an ECA are required to document only the Source Data for those sources of contaminants that emit contaminants in common with the sources of emissions that are the subject of the application itself.

For complex sites, it may be reasonable to sub-divide the information into a series of tables. In addition, for specific sources, data normally required within a Source Summary Table that is not required by the dispersion model does not have to be included in the Source Summary Table. For example, the exit temperature from unit heaters are generally not necessary, when using the models in the Appendix to Regulation 346, to assess compliance for nitrogen oxide emission if all sources are configured as a virtual source. In this case exit temperature is not required. However, all significant contaminants that are emitted from the facility must be included in a Source Summary Table even if there is no ministry POI Limit.

10.1.1 Additional guidance for a source summary table

Contaminant Information

It is recommended that the Source Summary Table include name and chemical abstract number (CAS #), where available, for the significant contaminants. The following web sites may provide a convenient way to obtain specific CAS numbers:

Units and Suggested Nomenclature

  • Averaging period should match the averaging period of the standard which can be 10 minutes, hourly, 24 hour or an annual average.

  • The volumetric flow-rate should be provided in cubic metres per second (actual or reference where the reference conditions, such as standard temperature and pressure, are specified).

  • The temperature of the exhaust gases should be provided in degrees Celsius.

  • The heights above grade and the roof and the stack diameter should be provided in metres.

  • Emission rates should be provided in grams per second. The emission rate estimating method can be indicated using the following short-forms:

    • “EF” means Emission Factor
    • “MB” means Mass Balance
    • “V-ST” means Validated Source Test
    • “EC” means Engineering Calculation

  • See Chapter 9.2 Data Quality of this Procedure Document for a classification system that may, in most cases, be used to provide an indication of how significantly the emission rate estimating method may overestimate or underestimate the actual emission rate. For example, emission rate estimates of Highest Data Quality would overestimate or underestimate the actual emission rate the least significantly, while estimates of Marginal or Uncertain Data Quality would overestimate or underestimate the most significantly. The following Data Quality classifications can be used in the Source Summary Table:

    • Highest Data Quality
    • Above-Average Data Quality
    • Average Data Quality
    • Marginal or Uncertain Data Quality

10.2 Site plan

Paragraph 9 of subsection 26 (1) of the Regulation states the following regarding the information that must be placed on a site plan:

Under subsection 26 (1) of the regulation – contents of ESDM report:

9. A plan of the property from which contaminants are discharged, drawn to scale, that shows,

  1. the property boundary,
  2. the co-ordinates for sufficient points on the property boundary to accurately describe the boundary,
  3. each source of contaminant identified under subparagraph 3 ii as a source of contaminant that was considered when using an approved dispersion model for the purpose of this section and, for each source of contaminant, the label referred to in subparagraph 8 i,
  4. the location, dimensions and elevation of every structure on the property, and
  5. an indication of which structures referred to in subparagraph iv contain child care facilities.

In most cases, for a scaled site plan, it is reasonable to provide the location, dimensions and elevations of only those on-site structures that may affect the dispersion of emissions from significant sources, according to the use of the approved dispersion model. It may be reasonable to use multiple scaled site plans for some complex sites.