Rules on combustion plants

Do you run a company in the Netherlands that has a combustion plant or waste incinerator? Or do you have one installed? You must keep to the rules on air emissions, inspections, measurements, and maintenance.

What are combustion plants?

A (stationary) mid-sized combustion plant or large combustion plant is for instance a:

• waste incinerator
• (emergency) generator
• process furnace
• gas turbine
• (central-heating) boiler

Environmental regulations

The Activities Decree (Activiteitenbesluit) lays down the environmental regulations for combustion plants and waste incinerators. It also specifies requirements for inspection, soil protection, energy consumption, and discharge. Medium-sized combustion plants must comply with the Decree's emission standards.

Emission measurement

You have to measure the emissions of your combustion plant (meetverplichting). An accredited measuring authority (in Dutch) needs to verify your measurements to ensure your combustion plant complies with the emission standards. These standards vary based on the power output and fuel type:

• large combustion plants (50 MWth or more) (in Dutch)
• small and mid-sized combustion plants using conventional fuels (up to 50 MWth) (in Dutch)
• mid-sized combustion plants using non-standard fuels (1 to 50 MWth) (in Dutch)
• waste incinerators (in Dutch)

Regulations on inspection and maintenance

If your company has a new combustion plant installed, an accredited authority or a certified installation company must demonstrate that you do not exceed the emission limits. A SCIOS-certified company (in Dutch) must carry out the inspection and monitor the maintenance. The capacity of your combustion plant determines the frequency of inspections required.