Background
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued revised guidelines (August 2018) for Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) to track pollutant releases from industries with high pollution potential. Directions were issued to State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) for installation of online emission and effluent monitoring systems in 17 categories of highly polluting industries (e.g., Power Plants, Cement, Iron & Steel, Distilleries, Sugar, Pulp & Paper, Pharmaceuticals) and in Common Effluent/Sewage Treatment Plants, Hazardous Waste Incinerators, and Biomedical Waste facilities .
The guidelines are framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and apply on the principle of “Polluter Pays.”
Need for CEM
Online systems enable transparent data transfer to SPCBs/PCCs/CPCB for better enforcement and reduced reliance on periodic inspections.
Objectives of CEMS
Merits of CEMS
Site Requirements for Installation
Calibration, Performance Evaluation, and Audit
Data Acquisition and Reporting
Start-up and shutdown emissions are excluded from compliance calculations.
Summary of Key Requirements
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