EPA / PROCEDURES / Standards for emissions or discharge of environmental pollutants

Standards for emissions or discharge of environmental pollutants

Who sets standards?

Central Government
The Central Government is empowered by the Act, to lay down for emission or discharge of environmental pollutant from various sources, provided that these are in regard to the quality or composition of the emission or discharge of environmental pollutant from the respective sources

These for emission or discharge of environmental pollutant from the industries, operations or processes are specified by the Central Government in Schedules I to IV.

Boards
Aside from this, the Central Board or a State Board may specify more stringent from those provided in Schedule I to IV in respect of any specific industry, operation or process depending upon the quality of the recipient system and after recording reasons in writing.

The State Boards may also specify more stringent for relevant parameters in Schedule IV with respect to specific industries or locations after recording the reasons in writing.

What are the standards?

These for emission or discharge of environmental pollutant from the industries, operations or processes are specified by the Central Government in Schedules I to IV.
Click here for Schedule I
Schedule II was omitted by G.S.R. 801 (E) dated 31st December, 1993. The earlier Schedule II was inserted by G.S.R. 919 (E) dated 12th September, 1988
Click here for Schedule III
Click here for Schedule IV

Compliance periods for standards

General industry, operation or process
An industry, operation or process should comply with for emission or discharge of environmental pollutant within one year of that standard being specified.

Industry, operation or process not in Schedule I
If there are industries, operation or process for which are not specified in Schedule I, these shall follow the specified in Schedule IV on and from the 1st January 1994.

The State Board has to follow the guidelines specified in Annexure I and II of Schedule VI while enforcing the specified in that Schedule.

For specific local conditions or nature of discharge
Depending on the local conditions or nature of discharge of environmental pollutant, the Central Board or a State Board, may, by order, specify a lesser period than what is specified under rule 3.3 of the EP Rules within which the compliance of shall be followed by an industry, operation or process

Specific industry, operation or process
In respect of any specific industry, operation or process, the Central Government may, by order, specify any period other than a period specified under rule 3.3 of the EP Rules within which the compliance of shall be followed by such industry, operation or process.

For industry, operation or process before the EP Amendment Rules, 1991
Notwithstanding the provisions of rule 3.3 of the EP Rules the for emission or discharge of environmental pollutant specified under rule 3.1 or 3.2 in respect of an industry, operation or process before the commencement of the Environment (Protection) Amendment Rules, 1991, shall be complied with by such industry, operation or process by 31st of December 1991.

For industry, operation or process started on or before 16th May, 1981
Notwithstanding the provisions of rule 3.3 of the EP Rules, an industry, operation or process which had commenced production on or before 16th May, 1981 and which had shown adequate proof of atleast commencement of physical work for establishment of facilities to meet the specified within a time-bound programme, to the satisfaction of the concerned State Pollution Control Board, had to comply with such by 31st December 1993.

For industry, operation or process commencing after 16th May, 1981 and before 31st December 1991
Notwithstanding the provisions of rule 3.3 or 3.6 of the EP Rules, an industry, operation or process which had commenced production after 16th May, 1981 but before 31st December 1991, and which had shown adequate proof of atleast commencement of physical work for establishment of facilities to meet the specified within a time-bound programme, to the satisfaction of the concerned State Pollution Control Board, had to comply with such by 31st December, 1992.

Standards for coal based thermal power plants to use raw or blended or beneficiated coal
As of 1st June 2002, the following coal based thermal power plants were required to use raw or blended or beneficiated coal with an ash content not exceeding 34%  on an annual average basis, namely:

1. Any thermal power plan located beyond 1000kms from the pit-head
2. Any thermal plant located in an urban area or sensitive area or critically polluted area irrespective of their distance from the pit-head, except any pit-head power plant.

Explanation: For the purpose of this rule ‘beneficiated coal’ means coal containing higher calorific value but lower ash than the original ash content in the raw coal obtained through physical separation or washing process.

‘pit-head power plant’ means power stations having captive transportation system for its exclusive use for transportation of point from the loading point at the mining end up to the unloading point at the power station without using the normal public transportation system.

‘sensitive area’ means an area whose ecological balance is prone to be easily disturbed.

‘critically polluted area’ means the area where pollution level has reached or likely to reach to the critical level and which has been identified as such by the Central Government or Central Pollution Control Board or a State Pollution Control Board.

Exemptions on compliance dates for thermal power plants
Any thermal power plant using Fluidised Bed Combustion or Circulating Fluidised Bed Combustion or Atmospheric Fluidised Bed Combustion or Pressurized Fluidised Bed Combustion or Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle technologies or any other clean technologies as may be notified by the Central Government in the official gazette, shall be exempted from Rule 3.8.a and 3.8.b of the EP Rules which requires them to use raw or blended or beneficiated coal with an ash content not exceeding 34%  on an annual average basis as of 1st June 2002.