Various Instruments used for process parameter measurements and

controlling :

1) Pressure :
a) Pressure Gauges For indication only
b) Pressure Transmitters Electronics, for indication as well as
transmission.
c) Pressure switches For alarming and on/off controlling
d) PID controllers For Indication, alarming and controlling.

2) Level :
a) Level Gauges For level indication only
b) Level transmitters Electronics, for indication as well as transmission
c) Level Switches - For alarming and on/off controlling
d) PID controllers For Indication, alarming and controlling.

3) Temperature :
a) RTDs Resistance temperature detectors, PT100
b) Thermocouples J & K types.
c) Temperature gauges For indication only
d) PID controllers For Indication, alarming and controlling

4) Flow :
a) Flow indicator Rotameter, magnetic
b) Flow Transmitter - Electronics, for indication as well as transmission
c) PID controllers For Indication, alarming and controlling

5) PH : Percentage of Hydrogen Ions

a) PH electrode Sensing purpose
b) PH transmitter - For Indication, alarming and controlling

6) Conductivity :
a) Conductivity sensor Sensing purpose
b) Conductivity transmitter - For Indication, alarming and controlling

7) Final controlling elements :

a) Control valves Linear, on/off type, equal percentage.
b) Solenoid valves Electrically operated

8) DSC : Distributed control system

9) PLC : Programmable Logic Controllers
10) SCADA : Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition
11) Annunciation Alarm indication and alerting
12) Recorders: Strip chart recorder for parameters recording.

PH= PHOROUS HYDROGENI

 Various Test & calibrating equipments : These are the master instruments, by
using these we can calibrate, check the various field instruments.

1) Multimeter : This is only measuring instrument. We can measure Voltage,

current and resistance.31/2 Digit, digital multimeter, Make Meco / Rishabh /
Philips

2) Dead weight pressure gage tester or Comparator :

By using this we can calibrate pressure gauges, pressure transmitters.

3) Temperature Calibrator :
By using this we can calibrate /check Temperature gauges, RTDs,
Thermocouples.

4) Current, Voltage and Resistance source :

By using this instrument, we can check all PID controllers.

5) Master Pressure gauges :

These are highly accurate pressure gauges, use for comparison purpose.

6) Decade resistance box:

This is use to check the temperature controller.

7) Manometer :
This is use for Differential pressure and low range pressure and vacuum
instruments.

8) Vacuum Pump :
To create the vacuum for calibration of vacuum gauges & transmitters.

Understanding Specifications
What does all it mean?

When you are looking at a spec sheet for mass flow meters and
mass flow controllers the amount of information presented can be
a little overwhelming. Especially, if you are not familiar with what
all of the terminology means or if you are not sure which of the
specs will have the most impact on what you are trying to
accomplish.
Listed below are some of the more important mass flow meter
and mass flow controller specs and what they mean in plain
english.

Accuracy
Accuracy is a mesurement of how accurately an instrument
performs at different flow ranges
Accuracy is generally measured in one of two ways: percentage of
full scale flow or percentage of reading.

Error as a percentage of full scale is established by multiplying

the error percentage by the full scale flow. The less you flow
through the device the less accurate the reading will be. For that
reason, you don't want to get a larger device than you need.
Devices with error expressed as a percentage of full scale are
most accurate when flowing at full scale.
Error expressed as a percentage of reading expresses error as a
percentage of what the device is actually flowing. Simply, if a
instrument's accuracy is rated to +/-1% of reading an instrument
will be accurate to +/-1% of whatever the instrument is flowing.
At 100SLPM the instrument will be accurate to within +/-1SLPM,
and at 10SLPM of flow the unit will be accurate to within
+/-.1SLPM.

Accuracy, regardless of measurement method, is generally

dependant on operating conditions. Operating conditions are
usually defined as the pressure and temperature of the gas
flowing through the instrument. Manufacturers will rate their
instrument's error based on some predefined set of operating
conditions, usually standard pressure and temperature. So, if
your gas temperature and/or gas pressure do not meet those
conditions specified by the manufacturer the accuracy of your unit
could be off by quite a bit. Some units, like Alicat's, are internally
compensated which means that sensors inside the device
measure temperature and pressure conditions and make real time
corrections for variations in gas conditions. Real time
corrections for variations in gas conditions take a lot of
worry about maintaining consistent process conditions.

Repeatability
Repeatability measures an instrument's ability to repeat flow
functions accurately.
A unit's repeatability is generally measured by monitoring a flow
instrument's reading at a given flow rate, turning off the flow
allowing instrument to return to zero for a given period of time,
and then resuming the same flow. The instrument's repeatability
is determined by examining the difference between the original
flow reading and the flow reading after the flow has been turned
off and resumed.
Simply, repeatability measures how repeatable an instrument's
reading will be at the same flow rate.

Turndown Ratio
The turndown ratio of a flow instrument, such as a mass flow
meter or MFC, is the ratio of minimum flow to full scale flow.
Simply put, it is the minimum amount of fluid that can be
measured by the device. For example, if a given flow meter or
MFC has a 100:1 turndown ratio the flow meter or MFC is capable
of measuring 1/100 of the full scale flow. So, suppose this flow
meter or MFC has a full scale rating of 100SLPM the flow meter or
MFC will measure down to 1SLPM of flow. It is very important to
remember that a mass flow meter or a mass flow controller has a
rated accuracy based in whole, or in part, on the full scale flow of
the unit. So, even though said flow meter or MFC can flow to
1/100 of it's full scale range you want to make absolutely certain
that the accuracy at those low flow rates meet your requirements.

Warm up time
Warm up time measures the amount of time it takes for an
instrument to become stable for use. Thermal units tend to
have the longest warm up times. Some units can take up to
30 minutes to become stable to within 2%FS. This is an
important specification if you turn your unit off at the end of the
day.

Pressure Drop
Pressure drop describes the loss of pressure as a fluid travels
through a pipe or channel. If you blew into a mile long pipe, it's
unlikely that anything would come out the other end. This is due
to pressure drop. As the fluid flows through the pipe, friction with
the pipe walls and between the fluid particles causes a loss of
pressure. Pressure drop is approximately proportional to the
distance the fluid travels. Every component that a gas comes in
contact with, every fitting, every pipe wall, every bend, etc. there
is pressure drop.
Since pressure drop is a flow killer, you most likely want to make
sure that every component in your system generates as little
pressure drop as possible.

Zero Shift or Offset error

Zero shift or offset shift is defined as how far from zero an
instrument will move when pressure and/or temperature are
changed. Offset error does not affect the slope of the calibration
curve, any offset error will be the same throughout the flow
range. Offset error is measured in %FS (or %reading)/degree
change in temp (or psi change in pressure) Simply, for every
change in degree temp or change in psi the calibration is offset by
the percentage of error.

Span Shift or Span Error

Span shift or span error is defined as a shift in the slope of the
calibration curve with zero not changing. The calibration curve of
the device will be affected differently at different flow ranges.
Span error is measured in %FS (or %reading)/degree change in
temp (or psi change in pressure) Simply, for every change in
degree temp or change in psi the calibration is offset by the
percentage of error

Zero shift or span shift can also be referred to as "Temperature

coefficients" or "Pressure Coefficients" and will be measured the
same way. Be sure to pay attention to the units of measure as
some manufacturers will measure span or offset error
percentages by measuring in degrees F or single psi instead of
degrees C or atm's of pressure.

Dead Band
Dead band is defined as an area of a signal range or band where
no action occurs. Put simply, the band where the system is dead.
Dead band as it relates to a pressure switch is the band in
between which the switch trips (the setpoint) and where the
switch resets.

Turndown ratio is often used to compare the span - the range - of flow measurement devices.
Turndown Ratio

Turndown ratio can be expressed as:

TR = qmax / qmin (1)

where

TR = Turndown Ratio

qmax = maximum flow

qmin = minimum flow

Maximum and minimum flow is stated within a specified accuracy and repeatability for the
device.
Example - Turndown Ratio for an Orifice Meter

The turndown ratio - TR - for an orifice meter with maximum flow of 12 kg/s and a minimum flow
of 3 kg/s can be calculated as:

TR = (12 kg/s) / (3 kg/s) = 4 - normally expressed as turndown ratio of 4:1

This is a typical turndown ratio for a orifice plate. In general a orifice plates has turndown ratio
between 3:1 and 5:1.
Turndown Ratio and Measured Signal
In a flow meter based on the orifice or venturi principle, the differential pressure upstream and
downstream of an obstruction in the flow is used to indicate the flow. According the Bernoulli
Equation the differential pressure increases with the square of flow velocity. A large turndown
ratio will cramp the measurement signal at low flow rate.
The Vortex Flowmeter

Design Overview: At 11 a.m. on November 7th, 1940 the Tacoma Narrows

suspension bridge in the state of Washington collapsed from wind-induced
vibrations. The torsional motion of the bridge shortly before its collapse is an
indication of the power of vortex shedding. The prevailing theory on the collapse of
the bridge is that the oscillations were caused by the shedding of turbulent vortices
in a periodic manner. Experimental observations have in fact shown that broad flat
obstacles (also referred to as bluff bodies) produce periodic swirling vortices which
generate high and low pressure regions directly behind the bluff body. The rate at
which these vortices shed is given by the following equation:

f = SV/L

where,
f = the frequency of the vortices
L = the characteristic length of the bluff body
V = the velocity of the flow over the bluff body
S = Strouhal Number and is a constant for a given body shape

In the case of the Tacoma bridge, a wind speed of approximately 40 mph caused
the formation of vortices around the 8-ft.-deep, steel plate girders of the bridge.
This established vortices which were shed, according to the above equation, at
approximately 1 Hz. As the structural oscillations constructively reinforced, the
bridge began oscillating, building up amplitude, until it could no longer hold itself
together.
Another less tragic example of the vortex principle can be seen in the waving
motion of a flag. The flag pole, acting as a bluff body, creates swirling vortices
behind it that give the flag its "flapping" quality in
strong winds.

A practical application of vortex production can be

found in the design of the vortex flowmeter. In this
design, a bluff body or bodies is placed within the
fluid stream. Just behind the bluff body, a pressure
transducer, thermistor, or ultrasonic sensor picks up
the high and low pressure and velocity fluctuations Figure 5
as the vortices move past the sensor (Figure 5). As fluid moves around the
These fluctuations are linear, directly proportional to baffles, vortices form and
the flowrate and independent of fluid density, move downstream. The
pressure, temperature and viscosity (within certain frequency of the vortices
limits). As given explicitly in the above equation, the is directly proportional to
frequency of the vortices is directly proportional to the flowrate.
the velocity of the fluid. Vortex meters are very flexible and the technology can be
used for liquid, gas and steam measurements. This, along with the fact that they
have no moving parts, makes them a very popular choice. Accuracies are typically
in the 1% range.

Generally speaking, in-line vortex meters are available in line sizes ranging from
1/2 to 16". Insertion vortex meters that are installed in the top or sides of a pipe
can be used for even larger pipe sizes. This makes them versatile in a wide variety
of applications (Figure 6).

One final remark concerns the Reynolds number limitations

for these flowmeters. For vortex meters, vortices will not be
shed under a Reynolds number of approximately 2000. From
roughly 2000 to 10,000, vortices will be shed but the
resulting fluctuations are non-linear in this range. Typically, a
minimum Reynolds number of 10,000 is required in order get
optimum performance from the vortex flowmeter. This
number can vary from one design to another, so it is
advisable to check with the manufacturer.

Advantages: The advantages of a vortex meter are many.

They are summarized below:
Figure 6
No moving parts to wear This photo shows
No routine maintenance required a typical vortex
Can be used for liquids, gases, and steam meter. It may be
Stable long term accuracy and repeatability installed
Lower cost of installation than traditional horizontally or
orifice-type meters vertically in the
Available in a wide variety of temperature pipe.
ranges from -300F to roughly 800F
Bar-like bluff design allows particulates to pass through without
getting clogged
Available for a wide variety of pipe sizes
Available in a wide variety of communication protocols
Disadvantages: There are only a couple of things to watch out for when
considering a vortex meter. First, they are not a good choice for very low fluid
velocities, and therefore cannot be recommended below about 0.3 ft/sec. At this
low flowrate, the vortices are not strong enough to be picked up accurately.

In addition to the above, be aware that a minimum length of straight-run pipe is

required upstream and downstream of the meter for the accurate creation of
vortices within the flowmeter. Ten pipe diameters before and after the point of
installation are typically recommended, but the minimum length could be greater if
there are elbows or valves nearby. This is only a disadvantage if the installation
area does not allow for this straight run of pipe.

Applications: Vortex meters have become extremely popular in recent years and
are used in a variety of applications and industries. Below is a summary of some of
the main uses of a vortex meter.

Custody transfer of natural gas metering

Flow of liquid suspensions
Higher viscosity fluids
Cryogenic fluids
Steam measurement
General water applications
Chilled and hot water
Water/glycol mixtures
Condensate measurement
Potable water
Ultrapure & de-ionized water
Acids
Solvents

Vortex meters are also used widely in the oil, gas, petrochemical, and pulp & paper
industries.

Go to Top

The Magnetic Flowmeter

Design Overview: The basic design

principle of the magnetic flowmeter (Figure
7) is derived from Faraday's law of induction,
which states that the voltage generated in a
closed circuit is directly proportional to the
amount of magnetic flux that intersects the
circuit at right angles.
Figure 7
In this design, magnets are positioned above This illustration shows the
and below the pipe to produce a magnetic principle of the manetic
flux (B) along the Y-axis. Because of the flowmeter. As magnetic flux is
movement of conductive fluid, at right angles produced upward along the Y-
to this magnetic field and at a velocity V axis, a voltage develops across
along the Z-axis, a potential is induced into the meter electrodes as
the flow stream. The instantaneous voltage conductive fluid moves through
the pipe. The voltage signal is
directly proportional to the fluid
velocity.
produced between the electrodes is proportional to the fluid flow through the pipe.
For this design, one can rewrite Faraday's Law as follows:

E = kBdV

where,
E = the induced voltage between the sensing electrodes
k = a constant
B = the magnetic flux density
d = the distance between electrodes (equivalent to the pipe diameter)
V = the velocity of the fluid

Linear flow through a pipe can be expressed as the volumetric flowrate Q, divided
by the cross-sectional area of the pipe A; therefore one can write

V = Q/A = 4Q/d2

Substituting this into the Faraday equation gives

E = (4k/d)BQ

This can be solved for the volumetric flow rate Q, and leads to

Q = (d/4k)E/B

This final equation shows that the volumetric flowrate Q is directly proportional to
the induced voltage, E, between the electrodes.

There are two main methods of producing the magnetic flux density, B, across the
pipe; alternating-current (a.c.) excitation, or pulsed, direct-current (d.c.)
excitation.

In order to avoid past polarization problems encountered in a d.c.-excitation

design, some magmeters use an a.c. excitation voltage. In this design, an a.c.
voltage is used to create the magnetic field which, in turn, produces a varying-
voltage signal across the electrodes. This is not a problem since the amplitude of
the voltage, E, will still be proportional to the fluid velocity.

However, the development of some induction voltages across both the transformer
coils and the electrodes is undesirable. For induction voltages that are 90 degrees
out of phase with the signal voltage (called quadrature voltages), a phase-sensitive
filtering circuit eliminates the unwanted voltage. Induction voltages that are in
phase with the signal voltage can be eliminated with special zeroing procedures but
this usually requires the fluid flow in the pipe to be fully stopped before zeroing;
this may not be feasible in some applications.

Response time is quicker with a.c. excitation than with d.c. pulse-type units. This
can be an advantage if the process flow changes quickly or contains hard
particulate matter, like sludge, pulp-and-paper stock, mining slurries and polymers.
Hard particulates impinging on the electrodes can generate signals that can be
mistaken for noise as opposed to the actual flow signal. The 60-HZ sampling of the
AC design will work very well in distinguishing between noise and actual flow
signals in these types of applications. Outside of these more specialized cases
however, the d.c.-pulse design is more widely used since it eliminates many of the
above-mentioned induction-voltages altogether.

In pulsed-d.c. excitation, the electromagnet coils are energized in short pulses or

bursts. The electrode voltage is then measured before and after the d.c. excitation
and the voltage difference is proportional to the flowrate. The advantage of the d.c.
pulse design is that it eliminates the induction voltages
described above, as well as the need to re-zero the meter at
no flow conditions. Normally, the d.c. excitation is pulsed
around 10 to 15 Hz. Some companies, in an effort to provide
the advantages of the a.c. design, have increased the d.c.
pulsing to 100 Hz. While this certainly allows the meter to
handle more difficult flows, it may increase the amount of
heat generated in the coils and can affect the lifetime of the
instrument. Some new designs claim to minimize this heating
effect.

As a final mention, it is worth noting that some magmeter

designs have solved the problem of coating-type fluids
leaving a non-conductive deposit on the meter electrodes. By Figure 8
embedding metal sheets in the magmeter lining, the This photo shows
electrodes no longer come in direct contact with the fluid, and a typical magnetic
the measured parameter becomes capacitance instead of flowmeter, which
voltage. can be installed
horizontally or
Advantages: The magmeter offers some very nice vertically in the
advantages. They are summarized below: pipe.

Obstructionless flow
Virtually no pressure drop
Insensitivity to viscosity, specific gravity, temperature and
pressure (within certain limitations)
Will work with laminar, turbulent, and transitional flows
Can respond well to fast changing flows (for high-frequency d.c.
pulse and a.c.excitation designs only)
Good accuracy (0.5 to 1%)
No moving parts
Can handle slurries and heavy particulates
Lining protectors available for harsh, chemically corrosive, and
abrasive fluids
Inline and insertion designs available to handle pipe sizes from
approximately 1/10" to 96"
Available in a wide variety of communication protocols

Disadvantages: The only main disadvantage of the magmeter is that the fluid
needs to be conductive. Therefore, liquids such as hydrocarbons and de-ionized
water are not viable applications. The minimum required conductivity is normally in
the range of 1-5 microSiemans/cm (mS/cm) but will vary from design to design.
One manufacturer claims a minimum conductivity of 0.008 mS/cm while another
recommends 20 mS/cm. Again, it is advisable to check with particular
manufacturer's requirements.
The only other item to point out is that because this technology utilizes magnetic
and electric fields, the pipe must normally be grounded. There are special
grounding procedures that need to be followed for conductive piping; and for plastic
pipes, special grounding rings must be used. Although this is technically not a
disadvantage, it does add another step to the installation process and failure to
properly ground the pipe can result in fluctuating flow signals.

Finally, it is not recommended to use graphite gaskets when installing a magmeter

since the graphite could cause an electrically conductive layer to build up on the
inside wall of the meter, causing erroneous signals. In the same spirit, it almost
goes without saying that installation in an area containing stray electromagnetic or
electrostatic fields is not recommended.

Applications: The magmeter can handle a wide variety of applications. Some of

them are listed below:

Water
A variety of industrial effluents
Paper pulp
Mining slurries
Brine
Sludge
Liquid food products
Detergents
Sewage
Corrosive acids
Solid bearing fluids
Electrolytes
Process chemicals

Problem liquids include petroleum products, crude oil, deionized water, and
vegetable/animal fats.

Go to Top
Table 1: A Comparison of Flowmeter Parameters
Transit-
Attribute Bubble Doppler Vortex Magnetic
Time
Gases Yes Yes1 Yes1 Yes No
1 1
Steam No Yes Yes Yes No
Liquids Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Viscous
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
liquids2
Corrosive Not
Yes Yes Yes Yes
liquids recommended
Typical 0.75-
2%3 2%4 0.5%4 0.5-1%5
Accuracy 1.5%5
Typical
1%3 0.5%4 0.2%4 0.2%5 0.2%5
Repeatability
Max Vent6 N/A7 N/A7 300 to 600-800
 pressure, psi 400
Max temp., 400 to
212 N/A7 N/A7 250-300
F 500
Max pressure 15 to
negligible negligible negligible negligible
drop, psi 20
Typical
turndown 300 to 1 50 to 1 N/A9 20 to 1 20 to 1
ratio8
Average $2,000 to $5,000 to $800 to $2,000 to
$600
cost10 $5,000 $8,000 $2,000 $3,000
1. While specialized Doppler and transit-time meters will work for
gases and steam, they represent a small percentage of all
Doppler and transit-time applications.
2. Upper viscosity limit will vary per manufacturer.
3. % of full-scale.
4. % of velocity.
5. % of flowrate.
6. Outlet must be vented to atmosphere
7. Non-contact device.
8. The turndown ratio is the ratio of maximum flow to minimum
flow, also known as rangeability.
9. Transit-time technology can measure down to zero flow.
10. Cost values vary depending on process temperature and
pressure, accuracy required and approvals needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are ISO, ISO 14000, and ISO 14001?

ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization, located in

Geneva, Switzerland. ISO promotes the development and implementation of
voluntary international standards, both for particular products and for
environmental management issues. ISO 14000 refers to a series of voluntary
standards in the environmental field under development by ISO. Included in the
ISO 14000 series are the ISO 14001 EMS Standard and other standards in fields
such as environmental auditing, environmental performance evaluation,
environmental labeling, and life-cycle assessment. The EMS and auditing standards
are now final. The others are in various stages of development.

2. How are these standards developed?

All the ISO standards are developed through a voluntary, consensus-based

approach. Each member country of ISO develops its position on the standards and
these positions are then negotiated with other member countries. Draft versions of
the standards are sent out for formal written comment and each country casts its
official vote on the drafts at the appropriate stage of the process. Within each
country, various types of organizations can and do participate in the process
including industry, govenment (Federal and State), and other interested parties,
including various non-government organizations (NGOs). For example, EPA and
States participated in the development of the ISO 14001 standard and are now
evaluating its usefulness through a variety of pilot projects.

3. What must a community do to have an EMS that meets the ISO 14001
standard?

The ISO 14001 standard requires that a community or organization put in place and
implement a series of practices and procedures that, when taken together, result in
an environmental management system. ISO 14001 is not a technical standard and
as such does not in any way replace technical requirements embodied in statutes or
regulations. It also does not set prescribed standards of performance for
organizations. The major requirements of an EMS under ISO 14001 include:

A policy statement which includes commitments to prevention of pollution,

continual improvement of the EMS leading to improvements in overall
environmental performance, and compliance with all applicable statutory and
regulatory requirements.

Identification of all aspects of the community organization's activities, products, and services that
could have a significant impact on the enviromment, including those that are not regulated
Setting peformance objectives and targets for the management system which link back to the three
comitments established in the community or organization's policy (i.e. prevention of pollution,
continual impovement, and compliance)
Implementing the EMS to meet these objectives. This includes activities like training of
employees, establishing work instructions and practices, and establishing the actual metrics by
which the objectives and targets will be measured.
Establishing a program to periodically audit the operation of the EMS
Checking and taking corrective and preventive actions when deviations from the EMS occur,
including periodically evaluating the organization's compliance with applicable regulatory
requirements.
Undertaking periodic reviews of the EMS by top management to ensure its continuing
performance and making adjustements to it, as necessary.

4. Is an EMS Under ISO 14001 Relevant to Communities?

Yes. Because ISO 14001 is essentially a system designed to help communities and
other types of organizations meet their environmental obligations and reduce the
impact of their operations on the environment, it is relevant to all types of
organizations. Counties, municipalities, towns, and townships typically oversee a
number of separate facilities and operations. EMSs can be used as a framework to
help these operations improve their environmental performance and make greater
use of pollution prevention approaches. Use of the standard by counties is not well
established at this point, but some are beginning to use it . For example,
Washtenaw County, Michigan is implementing an EMS based on 14001 for its
Sheriff's Department and participated in an earlier series of demonstration projects
funded by EPA. EPA now wants to expand this approach and work with additional
counties and municipalities.
5. What are some of the potential benefits of an EMS based on ISO 14001?

Improvements in overall environmental performance and compliance

Provide a framework for using pollution prevention practices to meet EMS objectives
Increased efficiency and potential cost savings when managing environmental obligagtions
Promote predictability and consistency in managing environmental obligations
More effective targeting of scarce environmental management resources
Enhance public posture with outside stakeholders

6. Can existing environmental management activities be integrated into

the EMS under 14001?

Yes. The standard is flexible and does not require organizations to necessarily
"retool" their existing activities. The standard establishes a management framework
by which an organizations' impacts on the environment can be systematically
identified and reduced. For example, many organizations, including counties and
municipalities, have active and effective pollution prevention activities underway.
These could be incorporated into the overall EMS under ISO 14001.

7. Why is the U.S. EPA interested in promoting and testing EMSs under ISO
14001?

Like a number of States, EPA believes EMSs, if implemented properly, could serve
as a valuable tool to help organizations improve their environmental peformance,
increase the use of pollution prevention, and improve compliance. However, this
premise needs to be evaluated closely, working with a variey of organizations,
including those in the public sector. EMSs could, in the future, serve as the basis for
providing regulatory flexibility to organizations that successfully implement them.

8. How is the demonstration program for counties and municipalities

actually working?

EPA's Office of Water and Office of Compliance are working with a non-profit
organization with expertise in EMSs and ISO 14001, to provide training and ongoing
technical assistance to counties and municipalities selected to participate in the
demostration projects. Participating organizations are also receiving a variety of
written and electronic materials to assist them as they put place their EMSs, using
ISO 14001 as a baseline. Periodic meetings of the participants will be held to
compare progress, share and discuss problems and issues, and gain greater
understanding of specific parts of the 14001 standard. Between meetings,
participants will receive assistance and advice on-line, through additional written
materials, and through other means as they put their EMS in place.

The period of the demonstration program would be approximately 2 years

concluding in September 1999.. EPA hopes that all participants will be able to have
all of the elements of an EMS in place at the end of this two year period. A final
report on the project, including short case studies on each participating
organization will be prepared at the end of the project and given to the participants.
Finally, participating organizations will be asked to collect and share common sets
of data related to the establishment and implementation of their EMS. EPA will work
with the participants to reach agreement on these data sets.
For further questions, please contact Jim Horne at the U.S EPA at (202) 564-0571
or Faith Leavitt at the Global Environment and Technology Foundation at (703)
750-6401.