Union Government notified stricter standards for Sugar Industry to minimise water pollution

Union Ministry Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 14 January 2016 notified stricter environment standards for sugar industries operating in various states in the country. The revised standards are to be implemented with immediate effect as they were aimed to minimise water pollution.

The revised standards will lead to improved operational performance of sugar industries through implementation of wastewater discharge standards and waste water conservation and pollution control management protocol.

The standards were recommended by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after consultations with industries and other stakeholders, as well as seeking comments from general public.

Highlights of the Revised Standards

• Specific wastewater discharge standards were made stricter by limiting them to 200 litre per tonne of cane crushed against the earlier limit of 400 litre per tonne cane crushed which would result less consumption of raw water at operational level.

• The final treated effluent discharge has been restricted to 100 litre per tonne of cane crushed and waste water from spray pond overflow, or cooling tower blow down to be restricted to 100 litre per tonne of cane crushed.

• Only single outlet point from unit has been allowed to encourage operational efficiency and treated effluent recycling practices.

• Further, only one outlet/ discharge point will be allowed which will be covered as per the 24x7 online monitoring protocols.

• The number of effluent quality parameters to be monitored for ascertaining compliance was increased to six. They are pH, Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Oil & Grease (O&G). Earlier, they were only BOD and TSS.

• The emission limits for particulate matter from stack has been limited to 150milligramme per normal cubic metre.

• The notified standards also contain a protocol for Treated Effluent Irrigation and Wastewater conservation and pollution control management, wherein treated effluent loading rates (in cubic meter per hectare per day) have been mentioned for different soil textures.

• The waste water conservation and pollution control management mandates that individual units will establish cooling arrangement and polishing tank for recycling excess condensate water to process sections, or utilities, or allied units.

• The Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) will also be stabilised one month prior to the start of crushing season and will continue to operate up to one month after the end of crushing season.

• The protocol has also made it obligatory for the industry to install flow-meters at all water abstraction points so that fresh water usage can be minimised.

• Further, the industrial units have been permitted to store treated effluent in a seepage proof lined pond having 15 days holding capacity.

• It will also help the CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in implementing specific measures to be adopted in sugar industries, with the aim of reducing consumption of fresh water usage, checking operational efficiency and enhancing compliance.

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