NEW DELHI: In a move to bring even non highly- polluting industries under its mechanism, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recommended that they self regulate and install continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS). The CPCB has revised guidelines for CEMS and says industries falling in 17 highly polluting categories, Common Bio-Medical Waste and Common Hazardous Waste incinerators have to install emission monitoring system, while other industries should consider installation it as a tool of self-regulation.
The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 mandates installation of CEMS with boilers used in industries like sugar, cotton textile, composite woolen mills, synthetic rubber, pulp & paper, distilleries, leather, calcium carbide, carbon black, natural rubber, asbestos, caustic soda, small boilers, aluminium plants, tanneries, inorganic chemicals and other such industries that use them. “The responsibility of data submission lies with individual units. The instrument supplier or manufacturer may facilitate data transmission on behalf of industries. Industry will ensure at least 85 per cent data availability from the system installed,” said the guidelines.
According to official data, some highly polluting industries have not yet installed CEMS and compliance with self-regulation directive by others looks difficult. “Out of 3,531 industries falling in highly polluting category, 2,743 have installed OCEMS and provided connectivity of data to CPCB server. Closure directions under Section 5 of EPA, 1986 have been issued to 740 industries which have not yet installed it,” said Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan in Lok Sabha last month.
To ensure that there is no data tampering, the guidelines makes in mandatory that only empanelled laboratories be engaged as third party agency for all activities related to assessment of installation, calibration of CEMS, validation of data. “However, till the time such empanelment is done, industries can use their own laboratories if these are Environmental Protection Agency or National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accredited,” it added.