August 11, 1995
South Coast Air Quality
Management District Board
The District has identified emissions of particulate matter and organic gases from commercial cooking operations as significant and, as an Air Quality Management Plan tactic, proposes to seek methods of reducing these emissions. An essential step in developing cost effective and appropriate regulations is the establishment of test methods and reproducible standards for these emission sources. Currently, the District has a contract with the University of California, Riverside, Bourns College of Engineering - Center of Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) to verify the precision and reliability of the particulate matter and organic gases test methodologies and validate a standardized kitchen testing facility for emissions generated from charbroiling hamburger meat. Research from this contract has proven the viability of the standardized test kitchen concept for PM10, and offers surrogate test methods for economically estimating restaurant emissions. CECERT's data also indicates a need for strict quality control during the sampling and analysis of organic gases, which shall be investigated further in the proposed work scope. To fully characterize cooking emissions and develop a full range of standards, it is important that this initial work be extended to other types of cooking equipment and different types of food products as well. To date, test data focused primarily on emissions from charbroiled hamburger meat; other types of foods and cooking methods however, must be addressed in order to understand the relative impact of emissions from various restaurant sources.
CE-CERT is completing the testing work under their current contract and based on its findings, has submitted a proposed work plan to develop the additional information necessary to establish appropriate and fully validated test methods and to support rule making for these sources. Staff recommends that CE-CERT be awarded a sole-source contract to do this additional work. Pursuant to Section IV of the District's Consultant Selection Policy and Procedure, the District may contract on a non-competitive basis with an educational entity for the purpose of providing consulting services which support the primary functions of the agency. CE-CERT is an educational institution within the definition provided in Section IV, and the continuation of CE-CERT's consulting work in developing emission test methods and emission factors for commercial cooking operations is in direct support of the agency's primary function of adopting rules to reduce air pollutants. Staff's recommendation is also based on CE-CERT's unique qualifications as the only local facility engaged in this highly specialized type of study, and the clear flow of the work from their current contract. They clearly possess the specific equipment and facilities necessary to conduct emissions testing from commercial cooking operations, and have highly trained staff with experience working with cooking emissions as they relate to District rules and regulations.
CE-CERT will be tasked to (1) investigate and resolve test method issues raised by other researchers and by the findings of their current project, (2) complete a study of the sensitivity of emissions to changes in various cooking parameters, and (3) develop a test matrix of different food cooking processes and food products and carry out the emission testings for major emission categories. Cooking test procedures shall be established and verified, and emissions from selected processes will be quantified. The total amount of this project will not exceed $200,000 and can be fully funded out of Applied Science and Technology's Professional and Special Services account under the FY 1995-96 Budget.
This recommendation was reviewed and approved by the Administrative Committee on July 21, 1995.
THEREFORE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOUR BOARD
-- Authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the University of California, Bourns College of Engineering - Center for Environmental Research and Technology in amount not to exceed $200,000 for Further Development of Emission Test Methods and Development of Emissions Factors for Various Commercial Cooking Operations.
Respectfully,
James M. Lents, Ph.D.
Executive Officer
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