According to the current laws and regulations, the main environmental requirements and standards to be complied with by the industrial units have been divided into four main fields of environmental concerns, including:
- location
- air pollution factors
- water / wastewater pollution factors / substances
- noise pollution limits
A. Rules of Locating
The latest standards served by the Department of Environment in April 2023 as the Rules and Regulations of Locating the Producing and Industrial Units, has classified the producing and industrial units in 10 Groups and listed the industrial function belongs to each Group in one of 7 Categories determined thereunder on the basis of the risks that such industrial function may create for its adjacent area (respectively from “low” to “high” risk industrial function).
B. Air Pollution Factors
The current standards applicable on this, is the Approval no. 84411/55181 dated 27.06.1397 [18.09.2018] of the Board of Ministers. The Approval contains several tables determining the permissible limits of air pollutant factors as well as the mass flow condition for various industries.
C. Water & Wastewater Pollution Factors / Substances
In accordance with the guideline of the “Standard of Sewerage Outlet” prepared and served by the Environment Department with co-operation of the Ministry of Health; Ministry of Industry, Mine and Commerce; and Ministry of Agriculture, the sewerage system of an industrial unit should be designed with an aim to minimize the volume of the substances listed in the guideline to the limits provided for each. The substances and factors for which the guideline has determined specific limitations / descriptions include: Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Cl, Cl-, Ch2O, C6H5OH, CN, Co, Cr+6, Cr+3, Cu, F, Fe, Hg, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, NH4, NO2, NO3, PO4, Pb, Se, SH2, SO3, SO4, V, Zn, Oil, ABS, BOD5, COD, DO, TDS, TSS, SS, pH, radioactive materials, turbidity, color, temperature, coliform bacteria, MPN and parasite egg.
D. Noise Pollution Limits
The approval no. 49127/38734 dated 05.04.1387 [25.06.2008] introduces the following formula to measure the noise pollution level (respectively for days and nights):
The details of environmental standards that should be complied with by each specific industrial unit is subject to the exact specifications of the said unit as per classified and categorized in the aforementioned regulations. In order to ensuring that an industrial unit will be designed; constructed and set up in compliance with the specific standards applicable to it, an Environmental Questionnaire (standard form) should be completed and submitted to the Department of Environment by the project owner.
The Environmental Questionnaire contains several questions under number of headings that would collectively give a comprehensive introduction of the project and the industrial unit intended to be built, including its general specifications, location, water pollutant factors, air pollutant factors, noise pollutant details, wastage and waste materials storing and disposal, list of machineries and technical details of the factory and the machineries.
The Department of Environment (acting via its provincial head offices), either confirms or amends the measures described by the project owner, will issue an official booklet containing the environmental standards applicable to the said specific project / unit. This document is deemed as part of the Establishment Permit documentation which provide the standards according to which the industrial unit should be built and determine the requirements to be successfully met for obtaining the Operation Permit. After issuance of the Operation Permit, also, the Authority in charge will conduct regular inspections to ensure consistency.
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