II. R&D NEEDS AND POTENTIAL PROJECTS
E. Cross-Cutting Issues
1. Independent Verification: Protocol Development
While there are growing efforts to perform technology demonstrations
for metal finishing pollution prevention technology, there seems
to be little or no work towards developing a standard testing
protocol. An EPA Environmental Technology Initiative and California-EPA
supported verification center will verify pollution prevention
and waste treatment technologies. This program should be further
investigated to see if there are plans to develop standardized
testing protocols.
a. Background
The purposes of a rapid verification protocol (RVP) are:
i. To maximize the database on new and emerging pollution prevention
technologies that is available for evaluating the state-of-the-art
and the cutting edge in environmental management of metal finishing
plants.
ii. To provide a mechanism and a set of guidelines by which any
technology vendor who so chooses can participate in a verification
process. The protocol should be as simple and as quick as possible,
allowing vendors to submit data within six to nine months.
b. Elements
There are a number of elements that could be included or addressed
in an RVP, as follows: a basic description of the technology,
the number of facilities at which the verification tests would
have to take place, the required length of a test run, engineering
design criteria for use of the technology, the type of cost and
effectiveness data to be collected, characterization of the test
site(s), required or recommended collection and analysis procedures,
etc. These and other elements would have to be considered and
tried out to assess their utility, ease of use, and cost.
c. Deliverables
The RVP would be made available to interested parties. A process
could be set up, perhaps with EPA involvement, to verify individual
protocol results and to certify the capabilities of verification
facilities.