Method 22
Visual Determination of Fugitive Emissions From Material Sources and Smoke Emissions From Flares
40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-7
From the method — regulatory text
Sections 1.0 and 2.0 of Method 22—Visual Determination of Fugitive Emissions From Material Sources and Smoke Emissions From Flares, as published at 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-7. Retrieved 10/07/2026. The full method is on the eCFR.
1.0 Scope and Application
This method is applicable for the determination of the frequency of fugitive emissions from stationary sources, only as specified in an applicable subpart of the regulations. This method also is applicable for the determination of the frequency of visible smoke emissions from flares.
2.0 Summary of Method
2.1 Fugitive emissions produced during material processing, handling, and transfer operations or smoke emissions from flares are visually determined by an observer without the aid of instruments.
2.2 This method is used also to determine visible smoke emissions from flares used for combustion of waste process materials.
2.3 This method determines the amount of time that visible emissions occur during the observation period (i.e., the accumulated emission time). This method does not require that the opacity of emissions be determined. Since this procedure requires only the determination of whether visible emissions occur and does not require the determination of opacity levels, observer certification according to the procedures of Method 9 is not required. However, it is necessary that the observer is knowledgeable with respect to the general procedures for determining the presence of visible emissions. At a minimum, the observer must be trained and knowledgeable regarding the effects of background contrast, ambient lighting, observer position relative to lighting, wind, and the presence of uncombined water (condensing water vapor) on the visibility of emissions. This training is to be obtained from written materials found in References 1 and 2 or from the lecture portion of the Method 9 certification course.
EssentialRegs notes
Our plain-English reading of Method 22. Not the method text.
What it measures
Whether visible emissions are present from a source such as a fugitive material source or a flare, and the total time they are visible during an observation period.
How it works
An observer watches the source from a position that gives a clear view and records, with a stopwatch, the time during which visible emissions are seen. The result is the length of time emissions were visible, compared with the length of the observation period. No opacity percentage is assigned. The observation period and the allowed visible-emission time come from the rule that invokes the method.
Equipment
No instrument. A trained observer, a stopwatch and a data sheet recording the source, the observer position and the observation conditions.
When a rule cites it
Requirements that ask whether a flare operates without visible emissions, and fugitive emission limits stated as a duration of visible emissions rather than as opacity. It is the method a rule names when a yes-or-no observation of visible emissions is enough.
Notes for compliance staff
Method 22 reports whether and for how long emissions are visible. Method 9 is the method that assigns an opacity percentage. The observation period and the visible-emission time that counts as a violation are set by the applicable rule, not by Method 22.
Cited by
Provisions in the corpus whose text cites Method 22. Subscribers land on the provision in the regulation reader; visitors see a preview of it (the GP05 sample opens in full).
Regulation 7
Regulation 24
APCD General Permit GP12
40 CFR Part 60 Subpart OOOO
40 CFR Part 60 Subpart OOOOa
40 CFR Part 60 Subpart OOOOb
The sections marked as regulatory text above are reproduced from the CFR. Everything under ‘EssentialRegs notes’ is our reference copy, not the method. The method as published in the CFR controls.