On 14 March 2013, the MEP and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) jointly promulgated two discharge standards governing water pollutants and one emission standard for air pollutants for three specific industries;
Discharge standard of water pollutants for ammonia industry (GB 13458-2013, in place of GB 13458-2001)
Effluent standards of water pollutants for citric acid industry (GB 19430-2013, in place of GB 19430-2004)
Emission standard of air pollutants for electronic glass industry (GB 29495-2013)
The compulsory standards shall take effect from 1st July 2013 onwards. Except for the GB 29495-2013 which is the first standard governing emissions that specifically targets the electronic glass industry, the previous versions of the other two will be abrogated simultaneously as from the date of promulgation. However, a phase in period is in place for existing companies to adjust to these standards. The new standards specify the permissible discharge limits and the methods for the determination of corresponding pollutants. The new standards also outline in detail the requirements for monitoring and control of these emissions.
The GB 13458-2013 applies to the assessment to environmental impact caused by the ammonia industry. More specifically it deals with the critical control measures underpinning the management of post-production waste disposal and also seeks to ensure all ammonia products and manufacturing endpoints conform to the specifications of new standards. The news standards encompass the totality of ammonia production including synthetic ammonia, carbamide, ammonium nitrate and ammonium bicarbonate. The permissible discharge limits of water pollutants for existing ammonia companies will be in force from 1 Jul 2014 to 31 Dec 2015. For the new companies set up after the date of promulgation, an upgraded discharge limits should be applied. However, all the existing companies shall operate based on the criteria for new-established companies from the 1st Jan 2016.
The GB 19430-2013 was designed to strengthen regulations underpinning control of discharges and byproducts involved in citric acid manufacturing specifically water pollutants discharge of citric acid industry and also standardize the assessment of any environmental impact caused by citric acid production. The existing discharge companies are required to operate according to the permissible discharge limits specified in GB 19430-2013 from 1 Jul 2013 to 31 Dec 2014, and then comply with the requirements for the new discharge companies.
The GB 29495-2013 is a new standard designed to promote advances in manufacturing processes and pollution control technology for the electronic glass industry (including the CRT glass, FPD glass, lighting glass, etc.). Control of emissions and air pollutants for electronic glass industry must now comply with this standard instead of the previous regulations which encompassed both the “Emission Standard of Air Pollutant for Industrial Kiln and Furnace” (GB 9078-1996) and the “Integrated Emission Standard of Air Pollutants” (GB 16297-1996). The existing companies shall manage the emission based on the permissible discharge limits specified in GB 29495-2013 from 1 Jul 2013, and must conform no later than two years after this date.
