GB 16297-1996 Replaces the Waste Gas-related Provisions of Standards GB 3548-83, GB 4276-84, GB 4277-84, GB 4282-84, GB 4286-84, GB 4911-85, GB 4912-85, GB 4913-85, GB 4916-85, GB 4917-85, and GBJ 4-73

Foreword

This standard is formulated in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution.

This standard is developed based on the waste gas-related provisions of the former Trial Standards for the Discharge of Industrial "Three Wastes" (GBJ 4-73) and other relevant national atmospheric pollutant discharge standards for specific industries. It has a certain inheritance relationship with the original standards in terms of technical content, while also incorporating significant revisions and changes.

This standard specifies the discharge limits for 33 types of atmospheric pollutants, with its indicator system including allowable concentrations, allowable emission rates, and fugitive emission monitoring concentration limits.

For the national control of atmospheric pollutant emissions, in addition to this comprehensive discharge standard, there are several industry-specific discharge standards in effect. Specifically, except for certain industries that implement their respective national atmospheric pollutant discharge standards for specific industries, all other industries shall implement this standard.

This standard shall come into force on January 1, 1997.

The waste gas-related provisions of the following standards are replaced by this standard; from the date of implementation of this standard, the waste gas-related provisions of the following standards shall be repealed:

• GBJ 4-73 Trial Standards for the Discharge of Industrial "Three Wastes"

• GB 3548-83 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Synthetic Detergent Industry

• GB 4276-84 Discharge Standards for Pollutants from Sulfuric Acid Concentration in the Explosives and Propellants Industry

• GB 4277-84 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Mercury Fulminate Industry

• GB 4282-84 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Sulfuric Acid Industry

• GB 4286-84 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Shipbuilding Industry

• GB 4911-85 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Iron and Steel Industry

• GB 4912-85 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Light Metals Industry

• GB 4913-85 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Non-Ferrous Heavy Metals Industry

• GB 4916-85 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Asphalt Industry

• GB 4917-85 Discharge Standards for Pollutants in the Superphosphate Industry

Appendices A, B, and C of this standard are all normative appendices.

This standard was proposed by the Department of Science, Technology and Standards of the State Environmental Protection Administration.

The interpretation of this standard shall be the responsibility of the State Environmental Protection Administration.

1 Scope and Subject Matter

1.1 Subject Matter

This standard specifies the discharge limits for 33 types of atmospheric pollutants and sets forth various requirements for the implementation of the standard.

1.2 Scope of Application

1.2.1

Within China's existing national atmospheric pollutant discharge standard system, in accordance with the principle that comprehensive discharge standards and industry-specific discharge standards are not applied concurrently:

• Boilers shall comply with GB 13271-91 Atmospheric Pollutant Discharge Standards for Boilers;

• Industrial furnaces and kilns shall comply with GB 9078-1996 Atmospheric Pollutant Discharge Standards for Industrial Furnaces and Kilns;

• Thermal power plants shall comply with GB 13223-1996 Atmospheric Pollutant Discharge Standards for Thermal Power Plants;

• Coke ovens shall comply with GB 16171-1996 Atmospheric Pollutant Discharge Standards for Coke Ovens;

• Cement plants shall comply with GB 4915-1996 Atmospheric Pollutant Discharge Standards for Cement Plants;

• Odorous substance emissions shall comply with GB 14554-93 Discharge Standards for Odorous Pollutants;

• Vehicle emissions shall comply with GB 14761.1～14761.7-93 Atmospheric Pollutant Discharge Standards for Vehicles;

• Motorcycle exhaust emissions shall comply with GB 14621-93 Exhaust Pollutant Discharge Standards for Motorcycles;

• All other atmospheric pollutant emissions shall comply with this standard.

1.2.2

For any industry-specific national atmospheric pollutant discharge standards issued after the implementation of this standard, the pollution sources specified in the scope of application of such industry-specific standards shall no longer implement this standard.

1.2.3

This standard applies to the management of atmospheric pollutant emissions from existing pollution sources, as well as the environmental impact assessment, design, acceptance inspection of environmental protection facilities for construction projects, and the management of atmospheric pollutant emissions after the commissioning of such projects.

2 Normative References

The provisions of the following standards constitute the provisions of this standard through reference in this standard:

• GB 3095-1996 Ambient Air Quality Standard

• GB/T 16157-1996 Methods for Determination of Particulate Matter and Sampling of Gaseous Pollutants in Exhaust Gas from Stationary Sources

3 Definitions

This standard adopts the following definitions:

3.1 Standard State

Refers to the state at a temperature of 273K and a pressure of 101,325Pa. All standard values specified in this standard are based on dry air under standard state.

3.2 Allowable Emission Concentration

Refers to the maximum allowable 1-hour average concentration of pollutants in the exhaust gas from a stack after passing through treatment facilities; or the maximum allowable 1-hour average concentration of pollutants in the exhaust gas from a stack without treatment facilities.

3.3 Allowable Emission Rate

Refers to the maximum allowable mass of pollutants emitted from a stack of a certain height per hour.

3.4 Fugitive Emission

Refers to the unorganized discharge of atmospheric pollutants without passing through a stack. Emissions from low stacks are considered organized emissions, but under certain conditions, they may have the same effects as fugitive emissions. Therefore, when implementing the "fugitive emission monitoring concentration limit" indicator, the increase in pollutant concentration at the monitoring point caused by low stacks shall not be deducted.

3.5 Fugitive Emission Monitoring Point

A monitoring point established to determine whether fugitive emissions exceed the standard, in accordance with the provisions of Appendix C of this standard.

3.6 Fugitive Emission Monitoring Concentration Limit

Refers to the maximum allowable 1-hour average concentration of pollutants at the monitoring point.

3.7 Pollution Source

Refers to a facility that discharges atmospheric pollutants or a building structure (such as a workshop) that discharges atmospheric pollutants.

3.8 Premises Boundary

Refers to the boundary where a facility (or unit) is adjacent to the external environment. The boundary shall generally be determined in accordance with legal procedures; if there are no legal procedures, it shall be determined based on the current actual boundary.

3.9 Fugitive Emission Source

Refers to a facility with fugitive emissions installed in an open environment, or a building structure (such as a workshop, shed) with fugitive emissions.

3.10 Stack Height

Refers to the height measured from the ground level where the stack (or its main building structure) is located to the outlet of the stack.

4 Indicator System

This standard sets forth the following three indicators:

4.1

Allowable emission concentrations of pollutants discharged through stacks.

4.2

Allowable emission rates of pollutants discharged through stacks, specified based on stack height. Any stack must comply with both of the above two indicators; non-compliance with either indicator shall be deemed excessive emission.

4.3

For pollutants discharged in a fugitive manner, monitoring points for fugitive emissions and corresponding monitoring concentration limits are specified. This indicator shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Clause 9.2 of this standard.

5 Classification of Emission Rate Standards

The allowable emission rates specified in this standard are classified into Levels I, II, and III for existing pollution sources, and Levels II and III for new pollution sources. Pollutant sources shall implement the emission rate standards corresponding to the category of the ambient air quality functional zone where they are located, specifically:

• Pollution sources located in Class I zones shall implement Level I standards (the construction and expansion of new pollution sources in Class I zones are prohibited; the reconstruction of existing pollution sources in Class I zones shall implement Level I standards for existing pollution sources);

• Pollution sources located in Class II zones shall implement Level II standards;

• Pollution sources located in Class III zones shall implement Level III standards.

6 Standard Values

6.1

Pollution sources established before January 1, 1997 (hereinafter referred to as "existing pollution sources") shall comply with the standard values listed in Table 1.

6.2

Pollution sources established on or after January 1, 1997 (including new, expanded, and reconstructed sources; hereinafter referred to as "new pollution sources") shall comply with the standard values listed in Table 2.

6.3

The establishment date of a pollution source shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:

6.3.1

In general, the approval date of the environmental impact assessment report (form) of the construction project shall be taken as its establishment date.

6.3.2

For pollution sources established without the approval of the environmental protection administrative department, the approval date of the supplementary environmental impact assessment report (form) shall be taken as their establishment date.

7 Other Provisions

7.1

In addition to complying with the emission rate standard values listed in the tables, the stack height shall be at least 5 meters higher than all buildings within a radius of 200 meters. For stacks that cannot meet this requirement, the allowable emission rate standard values corresponding to their height shall be strictly reduced by 50%.

7.2

If two stacks discharge the same pollutant (regardless of whether they are generated from the same production process) and the distance between them is less than the sum of their geometric heights, they shall be combined and regarded as a single equivalent stack. If there are three or more adjacent stacks discharging the same pollutant, the equivalent stack shall be calculated by first combining the first two stacks into an equivalent stack, then combining this equivalent stack with the third stack, and so on. The method for calculating the relevant parameters of the equivalent stack is specified in Appendix A of this standard.

7.3

If the height of a stack falls between two values listed in this standard, the allowable emission rate for that stack shall be calculated using the interpolation method, with the calculation formula specified in Appendix B of this standard; if the height of a stack is greater than or less than the maximum or minimum value listed in this standard, the allowable emission rate shall be calculated using the extrapolation method, with the calculation formula specified in Appendix B of this standard.

7.4

In general, the height of stacks for new pollution sources shall not be less than 15 meters. If the stack of a new pollution source must be lower than 15 meters, the allowable emission rate standard value shall be calculated using the extrapolation method specified in Clause 7.3 and then strictly reduced by 50%.

7.5

Fugitive emissions from new pollution sources shall be strictly controlled; in general, fugitive emissions shall be avoided. If fugitive emissions are unavoidable, they shall meet the standard values specified in Table 2.

7.6

If the exhaust gas from industrial production must be discharged after combustion, the blackness of the flue gas shall not exceed Ringelmann Grade 1.

8 Monitoring

8.1 Sampling Point Layout

8.1.1

The number of sampling points and the setting of sampling positions for the monitoring of particulate matter or gaseous pollutants in stack exhaust gas shall comply with GB/T 16157-1996.

8.1.2

The number of sampling points (i.e., monitoring points) and the method for setting sampling positions for fugitive emission monitoring are specified in detail in Appendix C of this standard.

8.2 Sampling Time and Frequency

All three indicators specified in this standard refer to the maximum allowable 1-hour average values; therefore, sampling shall be conducted in accordance with the following requirements:

8.2.1

Sampling of exhaust gas from stacksThe average value shall be obtained through continuous sampling for 1 hour; or, within 1 hour, 4 samples shall be collected at equal time intervals, and the average value shall be calculated.

8.2.2

Sampling at fugitive emission monitoring pointsFor sampling at fugitive emission monitoring points and reference points, continuous sampling for 1 hour shall generally be conducted to calculate the average value; if the concentration is low, the sampling time may be appropriately extended if necessary;If the analytical method has high sensitivity and only requires short-term sampling to collect samples, sampling shall be conducted at equal time intervals, with 4 samples collected to calculate the average value.

8.2.3

Sampling time and frequency under special circumstancesIf the discharge from a stack is intermittent and the discharge duration is less than 1 hour, continuous sampling shall be conducted during the discharge period, or 2-4 samples shall be collected at equal time intervals during the discharge period, and the average value shall be calculated;If the discharge from a stack is intermittent and the discharge duration is more than 1 hour, sampling shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements of Clause 8.2.1 during the discharge period.

For the monitoring of accidental pollutant discharges, the sampling time and frequency shall be set as needed, and shall not be restricted by the above requirements;The sampling time and frequency for the acceptance inspection monitoring of environmental protection facilities for construction projects shall comply with the measures for the acceptance inspection monitoring of environmental protection facilities for construction projects formulated by the State Environmental Protection Administration.

8.3 Requirements for Monitoring Operating Conditions

8.3.1

In the daily supervision and monitoring of pollution sources, the operating conditions during sampling shall be consistent with the current operating conditions; neither the personnel of the pollutant-discharging unit nor the monitoring personnel shall arbitrarily change the current operating conditions.

8.3.2

The requirements for operating conditions for the acceptance inspection monitoring of environmental protection facilities for construction projects shall comply with the measures for the acceptance inspection monitoring of environmental protection facilities for construction projects formulated by the State Environmental Protection Administration.

8.4 Sampling Methods and Analytical Methods

8.4.1

The analytical methods for pollutants shall comply with the provisions of the State Environmental Protection Administration.

8.4.2

The sampling methods for pollutants shall comply with GB/T 16157-1996 and the relevant parts of the analytical methods specified by the State Environmental Protection Administration.

8.5 Determination of Exhaust Gas Volume

The determination of exhaust gas volume shall be conducted simultaneously with the sampling and monitoring of emission concentrations; the method for determining exhaust gas volume shall comply with GB/T 16157-1996.

9 Implementation of the Standard

9.1

For pollution sources located in acid rain control zones and sulfur dioxide pollution control zones designated with the approval of the State Council, in addition to implementing this standard, their sulfur dioxide emissions shall also comply with the total emission control standards.

9.2

The environmental protection administrative departments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall decide whether to implement the fugitive emission monitoring concentration limits specified in this standard in their respective administrative regions, and shall report such decisions to the State Environmental Protection Administration for the record.

9.3

The supervision and implementation of this standard shall be the responsibility of the environmental protection administrative departments of the people's governments at or above the county level.