Particulate Matter (referred to as Dust in the MCPD and also as PM), can be found in sizes that range from a few nanometres to around 100 micrometres (100 μm, about the thickness of a human hair).
Diesel gensets used in industrial, commercial and power generation applications are a primary source of particulate matter.
PM can have a detrimental affect on health. Particulates have the greatest impact on people with pre-existing lung or heart conditions, the elderly and children. There is evidence that short- and long-term exposure to particulate matter causes respiratory and cardiovascular illness.
The UK implementation of the Medium Combustion Plant Directive imposes different dust limits (either 10 or 20mg/Nm3) depending on the plant size and date of installation (this does not apply to engines running on gas oil i.e EN590 Diesel). Unsure if the MCP Directive will affect you? Find out here.
The non-road mobile machinery regulations imposes a limit of 0.025g/kWh for particulate matter.
Clean Air Zones will be particularly important for the reduction in PM. In the first 5 years of London’s Clean Air Zone, particulate matter dropped by 3.1% according to the BBC.
5 new Clean Air Zones will be implemented by 2020, and they will be located in: Birmingham, Derby, Southampton, Nottingham and Leeds.