History of the STA

In the mid-1990s, stack testing companies met to discuss common concerns about testing quality, equipment and, importantly, health and safety. A subsequent meeting of more than 100 stack-testing personnel concluded that the UK needed a trade body, and the Source Testing Association was formed in 1995.

Standards and safety

In the late 1990s the STA became involved in CEN and ISO standardisation, helping represent the UK stack-testing industry's view. Health and safety was also a central concern, leading to the Health and Safety Task Group and the Risk Assessment Guide for Industrial Emission Monitoring — the Yellow Book.

MCERTS and industry development

The STA endorsement scheme preceded the MCERTS Manual Testing scheme. The STA and its members helped develop the framework and syllabus for the MCERTS personnel scheme, formally rolled out in 2002, and the Association has continued to support the scheme and emission-monitoring standards.

Training and task groups

The STA continues to support professional development through training and its specialist task groups covering technical, quality, process operators, health and safety, equipment suppliers and emerging areas of emission monitoring.