In addition to continuous emissions monitoring, every year the Lambton facility conducts a detailed emissions assessment, or a "stack test."
Carried out by independent air quality specialists and monitored by representatives from Ontario's Ministry of the Environment, the stack test measures the facility's ability to safely treat a wide range of hard-to-destroy wastes and evaluates it against the province's air quality and waste treatment standards. The results of the stack test consistently demonstrate that the Lambton facility is in compliance with these standards.
Testing is typically conducted on three consecutive days, with the unit operating at full permitted capacity under extreme conditions. During testing, hard-to-destroy compounds are added to the incinerator waste feed. Lambton staff determine how well the unit destroys and removes these compounds by testing for them in the stack emissions. Over the years, stack tests have proven that the Lambton facility is able to destroy and remove nearly 100 percent of even the most difficult-to-destroy waste.