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On March 6, 2020, to gear up for a new round of work to control emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the Shanghai Bureau of Ecology and Environment published the Notice on Carrying out Comprehensive Treatment of VOCs in Key Industries of Shanghai Municipality [1]. The Notice is part of the endeavors to implement the Program for Comprehensive Treatment of VOCs in Key Industries [2] of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Clean Air Work Plan of Shanghai Municipality (2018-2022) [3].
The Notice requires that higher standards and stricter measures be put in place, and industry-specific requirements be imposed throughout the industry chains. By the end of 2022, the industrial VOC emissions should be reduced by 10 percent compared to those in 2019. Moreover, 20 percent of the VOC treatment work should be completed by the end of 2020, 70 percent by the end of 2021 and 100 percent by end-2022.
The VOC treatment work will be carried out targeting 24 industries in six areas (petrochemicals; chemicals; industrial coating; packaging and printing; storage, transport and distribution of petroleum products and organic liquids; and chemical parks and industrial clusters emitting VOCs), four general technical processes (the use of coatings, printing ink, adhesives and cleaning agents), and key businesses emitting odorous pollutants. A total of 2,362 enterprises will be involved.
A list of VOC treatment tasks will be developed on an industry-by-industry basis. Enterprises in key industries should treat VOCs referencing such list and prepare and implement their own scheme in this regard. Moreover, pilot and demonstration programs will be launched to cut VOC emissions in an innovative way.
This Notice also provides a schedule for the future arrangements:
² In March 2020
The Bureau and the Shanghai Academy of Environmental Science should specify the requirements for VOCs treatment in key industries based on comments solicited from enterprises, experts and administrations, and develop the aforementioned list of VOC treatment tasks for different industries.
² By the end of April, 2020
The Bureau will guide three central government enterprises and businesses administered by the ecology and environment administrations in various districts and the Administrative Committee of the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park to develop their respective VOCs treatment schemes.
² By the end of May, 2020
Relevant authorities should conduct technical assessments of the aforementioned schemes and submit them to the Bureau after such assessments are completed before the end of this May.
² By the end of 2022
The involved enterprises should complete 20 percent of the VOC treatment work by the end of 2020, 70 percent by the end of 2021 and 100 percent by end-2022. The ecology and environment administrations at both municipal and district levels should follow up the developments.
