Environment Protection (Standards for Air) Regulations 1998 (G.N. No.105 of 1998)

Standards for Air Regulations LEGAL SUPPLEMENT to the Government of Mauritius No. 92 of 29 August 1998 Government Notice No.105 of 1998 THE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT 1991 Regulations made by the Minister under Section 35 of the Environment Protection Act 1991 1.These regulations may be cited as the Environment Protection (Standards for Air) Regulations 1998. 2.In these regulations "Act" means the Environment Protection Act 1991; "chimney" means a structure or opening from or through which a product of combustion or an air pollutant is emitted into the atmosphere; "enforcing agency" means the agency specified in paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Fourth Schedule to the Act; "existing factories" means factories which entered into operation before the commencement of these regulations; “factory” has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Labour Act; "industrial process" means any process operated at a factory which may entail a pollutant being emitted into the atmosphere; "smoke" includes all particulate matter in smoke. 3. (1) The national environmental standards for the emission of pollutants in the atmosphere shall be those set out in the First Schedule. (2) Every factory shall comply with the emission standards set out in the First Schedule. (3) Existing factories shall comply with the emission standards set out in the First Schedule as from 1 February 1999 4 (1) The enforcing agency may require that a chimney serving an industrial process be fitted with an aperture for the insertion of a probe to measure the composition, characteristics and quantities of emissions. (2) The aperture shall be in the chimney wall and of such size and within such height as the enforcing agency may require. (3) The enforcing agency may require that a safe means of access to the aperture be provided for the purpose of monitoring emissions from the chimney. (4) Notwithstanding the other provisions of these regulations, the enforcing agency may decide that certain parameters in the First Schedule shall not apply to any specific chimney. 5. (1) The national environmental standards for ambient air shall be those set out in the Second Schedule. (2) In exercising its powers under these regulations, the enforcing agency may take account of the national environmental standards set out in the Second Schedule. 6. (1) The enforcing agency may use measuring instruments for the purpose of assessing the quality of air. (2) Measuring instruments shall, for the purpose of these regulations include (a) any apparatus for separating any air impurity from the gas or liquid medium in which it is carried; (b) any device to indicate or record air pollution or give warning of excessive air pollution; and (c) any other device used for the purposes of preventing or limiting air pollution. Made by the Minister on 24th August, 1998. First Schedule (regulation 3) Emission Standards The following standards are maximum limits for the corresponding pollutant. Pollutant Applicable to Standard (i) Smoke All stationary fuel burning source Ringelmann No. 2 or equivalent opacity (not to exceed more that 5 minutes in any period of one hour) (ii) Solid particles (a) Any trade, industry, process, industrial plant or fuel-burning equipment (b) Any existing trade, industry process or industrial plant using bagasse as fuel 200 mg/m3 400 mg/m3 (iii) Sulph uric acid mist or (a) Any trade, industry or process (other than combustion processes and plants for the manufacture of 120 mg/m3 as sulphur trioxide sulphu r trioxid e sulphuric acid) (b) Any trade, industry or process in which sulphuric acid is manufactured 30 000 mg/m3 as sulphur trioxide (iv) Fluorine compounds Any trade, industry or process in the operation of which fluorine, hydrofluoric acid or any inorganic fluorine compounds are emitted 100 mg/m3 as hydrofluoric acid (v) Hydrogen Chloride Any trade, industry or process 200 mg/m3 as hydrogen chloride (vi) Chlorine Any trade, industry or process 100 mg/m3 as chlorine (vii) Hydrogen sulphide Any trade, industry or process 5 ppm as hydrogen sulphide gas (viii) Nitric acid or oxides of nitrog en Any trade, industry or process in which the manufacture of nitric acid is carried out 2 000 mg/m3 as nitrogen dioxide (ix) Nitric acid or oxides of nitrog en Any trade, industry or process other than nitric acid plant 1 000 mg/m3 as nitrogen dioxide (x) Carbon monoxide Any trade, industry or process 1 000 mg/m3 as carbon monoxide SECOND SCHEDULE (regulation 5) Ambient Air Quality Standards and Measurement Methods Ambient Pollutant Standard (ug/m3) maximum Averaging Time Measurement Method* Total suspended particles 150 50 24-hour Annual average Hi-volume Sampler PM10 100 24-hour Hi-volume Sampler Sulphur Dioxide 350 200 50 1-hour 24-hour Annual average Fluorescence SO2 Analyser, Colorimetry Nitrogen Dioxide 200 24-hour Sodium Arsenite, Chemiluminescence Carbon Monoxide 25,000 10,000 1-hour 8-hour Nondispersive Infrared Photometry Lead 1.5 3-month average Hi-volume Sampler with Atomic Absorption Ozone 100 1-hour Ozone Analyzer, Chemiluminescence *the measurement methods are those indicated or other methods acceptable to the enforcing agency.