The EIIP Point Source Committee addresses the needs of local, state, and regional agencies by providing tools to consistently estimate emissions from large stationary sources. These efforts result in recommendations for achieving consistency in selecting estimation methods, determining activity levels, and data reporting. The committee selects preferred and alternate methods for calculating emissions from major point sources and for collecting other related data. Industry contacts are consulted for assistance and expertise related to calculation methods and data collection. Point Source Definition Point sources are large, stationary, identifiable sources of emissions that release pollutants into the atmosphere.
Point sources are typically large manufacturing or production plants.
Under ideal circumstances, all stationary sources would be considered point sources. In practical applications, however, only sources that emit more than a specified cutoff level of pollutant are considered point sources. Generally, the higher the cutoff level, the fewer the facilities included in an inventory. Selection of Source Categories Point Source Committee members compiled an initial list of candidate source categories for which standardized methods were needed. The list was then ranked according to the amount of pollutant being emitted, number of potential sources, and specific regional concerns.