The Scientific Insights Blog - RJ Lee Group

Environmental Forensics & Advanced Instrumentation: Know Your Emissions Baseline – HON NESHAP Compliance Readiness

Written by Peter Zemek | Nov 6, 2025 2:11:00 PM

Know Your Baseline. Stay Ahead.

In today’s regulatory landscape, chemical and polymer manufacturers face heightened scrutiny under the Hazardous Organic NESHAP (HON) Rule — not just for emissions, but for how well they understand and control them.

At RJ Lee Group, we address the critical question: “Where do you really stand?”

Our mobile laboratory, outfitted with Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) and Aerosol Ionization Mass Spectrometry (AIMS) technologies, delivers real-time, ultra-trace measurement capability directly to your facility. With detection sensitivity down to the parts-per-trillion (ppt) level, RJ Lee Group provides the data clarity you need to stay ahead of compliance thresholds and uncover fugitive or process-related emissions before they escalate.

 

Why This Matters

  • The HON Rule (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart HHH and others) governs hazardous organic NESHAP emissions from petrochemical, polymer, and chemical manufacturing facilities.

  • EPA enforcement and consent decrees are increasingly targeting Ethylene Oxide (EtO), Chloroprene, 1,3-Butadiene, Vinyl Chloride, and Ethylene Dichloride, among others.

  • Facilities can no longer rely solely on periodic grab sampling or delayed lab reports — real-time, high-frequency monitoring is now essential for continuous improvement and compliance assurance.

 

RJ Lee Group’s Mobile Advantage

Our Mobile PTR-TOF-MS/AIMS Laboratory Platform Offers: - Real-time emissions profiling at ppt/low-ppb levels - Rapid on-site deployment with minimal infrastructure needs - Detection and speciation of hundreds of VOCs and HAPs simultaneously - High temporal resolution for identifying process upsets or leaks - Fenceline to stack coverage for source attribution and root-cause analysis - Data transparency and defensibility for internal and regulatory reporting.

 

HON NESHAP Target Compounds  (Partial List)

Compound

Chemical Formula

Typical Detection Limit (PTR/AIMS)

Regulatory
Concern

Ethylene Oxide (EtO)

C₂H₄O

< 1 ppt

Carcinogenic HAP; major HON focus

Chloroprene

C₄H₅Cl

< 5 ppt

Probable human carcinogen

1,3-Butadiene

C₄H₆

< 2 ppt

Carcinogenic; polymer feedstock

Vinyl Chloride

C₂H₃Cl

< 5 ppt

Known carcinogen; PVC production

Ethylene Dichloride

C₂H₄Cl₂

< 5 ppt

Solvent and intermediate

Benzene

C₆H₆

< 1 ppt

Toxic air pollutant; HON & BWON relevant

Toluene, Xylenes, Styrene

Various

< 10 ppt

VOCs contributing to ozone formation



How RJ Lee Group Helps You Stay Compliant

  • Rapid baseline assessment to identify emission sources and prioritize controls

  • Continuous fenceline or stack monitoring with actionable data in real time

  • Regulatory defensibility backed by expert scientists and forensic analysts

  • Comprehensive data visualization and reporting for internal QA/QC and EPA compliance
  • Area source/Fenceline Continuous Emission Monitoring (CEM)

 

Partner with RJ Lee Group

RJ Lee Group brings decades of expertise in environmental forensics, analytical chemistry, and advanced instrumentation to help industry leaders achieve compliance confidence. 

Contact Peter Zemek:
📞 1-919-522-2032
📧pzemek@rjlgroup.com