Background

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has amended the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, by introducing revised standards for the pulp and paper industry. These changes are aimed at reducing pollution from industrial wastewater and air emissions, promoting sustainable freshwater use, and ensuring better environmental management practices in pulp and paper mills. The amendments also remove outdated standards and exempt certain categories like Rayon Grade Pulp industry.

The amendments introduce new effluent, freshwater consumption, and emission standards specific to pulp and paper mills, including those manufacturing from chemical pulp, recycled fiber, and market pulp. Effluent concentration limits are prescribed for parameters such as pH, Total Suspended Solids, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Dissolved Solids, Colour, Adsorbable Organic Halogens, and Sodium Adsorption Ratio. A note has been added allowing higher Total Dissolved Solids limits in treated effluent when intake water exceeds 1100 mg/l, subject to an overall cap of 3100 mg/l, with exemptions for marine disposal.

Freshwater consumption and effluent discharge volumes are also regulated depending on the type of pulp and paper produced, with lower limits for recycled fiber-based mills and unbleached grades. Emission standards include limits on odorous emissions such as H₂S and stack emissions from chemical recovery plants, lime kilns, and boilers. Mills using Soda or Sulphur-free processes are exempted from certain emission norms.

Additionally, outdated entries in Schedule-I, Schedule-VI, and other parts of the rules are omitted to streamline the regulatory framework. The rules explicitly state that these standards will not apply to the Rayon Grade Pulp industry.