Environmental Impact Assessment

- With reference to Pulp & Paper sector

-Sharath Kumar Pallerla

-Director, IA (Policy),
-Ministry of Environment, Forest & CC, GOI

Central Pulp & Paper Research Institute

Scope of Presentation
• EIA
• Recent Initiatives of the Ministry
• PARIVESH
• EIA Notification, 2020
• Water & Waste water Management
– Paper & Pulp Industry
• Odour Gas emissions – Paper & Pulp
Industry
Definition of EIA

3
What is an impact?

4
The baseline situation

5
Initiatives of Ministry
 Reforms in Green NOD

Policy Reforms

Flexibility in Standard
Flexibility in Accreditation
baseline data Standard ToR format for
obtaining CCR of ACOs
collection Green Nod

Delegation to Online Standard EC

SEIAA processing Conditions
Workflow of Processing Authority at SEIAA and SEAC

https://parivesh.nic.in/

PARIVESH
Pro Active Responsive facilitation
by Interactive and Virtuous
Environmental Singlewindow Hub

Single window integrated system for Environment,

Forest, Wildlife and CRZ Clearances
EIA Notification, 2020
Objectives of EIA 2020
• Integration of 51 amendment and 230 OMs
• Decentralization
• Rationalization
• Clarity in the provisions
• Compatibility to PARIVESH
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Integration of learning of implementation
of EIA 2006
• Implementation of Directions of tribunal /
courts
• Dealing of violations / Non-compliances
 Paper & Pulp Industry

EIA 2006 EIA 2020

Water & Waste water
Management
– Paper & Pulp Industry
Schematic Diagram
A Typical Pulp & Paper Mill
 Standards - Integrated Pulp and Paper Units
Draft
EP Act CPCB Chatter –
PCB * MoEF&CC
Parameter Unit (On land Ganga Action
Consents Notification
irrigation)
Plan (2015)
May 2015
Quantity
Water consumption m3/T NS 50 to 80 50 50
Wastewater discharge m3/T 200 45 to 70 40 40
Treated wastewater quality
TSS mg/l 100 50 to 100 30 30
BOD mg/l 100 30 to 100 20 20
COD mg/l 350 250 200 200
TDS mg/l 2100** 2100 1800 1800
Colour PCU NS NS 250 250
AOX mg/l NS NS 8 8
AOX Kg/T 1.5 NS - -
SAR Number NS 10 to 26 10 10

• * Data presented in the respective CTOs submitted by project proponents in the EIA reports
• ** Guidelines on wastewater utilization for irrigation, CPCB, Nov 2019
 Environmental Clearance Conditions
• Few large integrated plants have committed to achieve:
– Water consumption as low as 40 m3/T
– Wastewater generation as low as 35 m3/T
– COD as low as 200 mg/l
– Utilizing entire treated wastewater for irrigation
– Zero liquid discharge (within the facility and greenbelt use)

• Discharge of treated wastewater into Rivers is now restricted

on case to case basis due to reduced natural assimilative
capacity of rivers during lean flow
 Challenges in waste water treatment
• Reduced specific water consumption due to higher recycling
leading to increase in influent concentration at the ETP:-
– Drastic change in treatability characteristics of wastewater,
– Net COD removal needs biological treatment facilities
increases significantly,
– Reduced hydraulic volumes vs higher influent
concentrations, leading imbalance in the biological
treatment systems
• F/M ratios;
• Wastewater ecology ; and
• DO requirements.
 Challenges in waste water treatment

• Reduced specific water consumption due to higher

recycling leading to increase in influent
concentration at the ETP:-
– Increase in inorganic TDS levels beyond 2100 mg/l
due to drastic reduction in specific water
consumption in the plant,
– Higher TDS levels result in higher SAR,
• long term impacts on irrigated soils (sodacity) and
• soil and ground water contamination
 Scenario – Baseline & After recycling
Parameter Unit Baseline After recycling
Wastewater flow m3/T 55 to 65 45 to 50
Influent quality parameters
TSS mg/l 1000 to 2000 1200 to 2600
BOD (filtered) mg/l 300 to 400 360 to 520
COD (filtered) mg/l 600 to 1000 730 to 1300
Colour PCU 500 to 800 610 to 1000
Desired treated wastewater quality
TSS mg/l 30 30
BOD mg/l 30 30
COD mg/l 250 250
Colour PCU 250 250
Net pollutant mass to be removed (%)
BOD % 90 to 92.5 92 to 94
COD % 58 to 75 65 to 81
Colour % 50 to 68 60 to 75
 Potential reduction in Waste water &
Pollutants
– ZLD in pulp and recovery sections (recycling of foul
condensate etc.)
– Zero black liquor spills and discharge to ETP
– Alternative or improved bleaching technologies
– Net wastewater discharge form pulp mill and recovery (up to
20 m3/T)
– Net COD discharge from pulp mill and recovery (Up to 40
Kg/T)
– Maximizing recycling in paper machine sections and specific
wastewater discharge (Up to 15 m3/T)
Imbalance of ETP
• Over sizing of aeration
tank leading to reduced
MLVSS & inadequate COD
removal
• Change in ecology (more
flock formers as against
filament bacteria leading
to sludge floating
• Higher oxygen demand
 Suggestions
• Reduction of fresh water use and recycling of treated
wastewater will have significant impact on the
existing ETP,
• ETP performance evaluation through first principles
is NOT just adequate, detailed biological treatment
modelling is essential,
• Increase in TDS levels in the final treated wastewater
is inevitable and may exceed limits (2100ppm) if the
fresh water use reduces below 40 m3/T of
wastewater discharge
 Suggestions
• A typical ZLD (RO followed by MEE) may cost about
Rs. 200 to 300 per cubic meter (say Rs. 10,000 to
15,000 per Tone of paper) in integrated mills.
(Source: An estimate given by field experts)

• Therefore, stringent norms calls for more technical

studies / investigations.
• Advanced technologies in water treatment
Odour Gas emissions

– Paper & Pulp Industry

 Odorous Gases
Compound Lower odour Significant odour
perception levels perception levels
H2S 7 µg/ m3 14 µg/m3
Methyl mercaptan 3 µg/ m3 7 µg/m3
(CH3SH)
Dimethyl 1.5 µg/ m3 1.5 µg/m3
sulphite(CH3)2S
Dimethyl disulphite 5 µg/ m3 15 µg/m3
Sources of odour emission
Odour Gas Standards - USA
 Odour Gas Standards - India
Odour Existing Proposed Measurem Control
gaseous Emissions Emissions ent technology
Norms Norms Method
mg/Nm3 mg/Nm3
H2S 10 10 Gastec Alkaline
Tube Absorption,
Sampling Biological
Total Not 50 Gastec Methods,
Mercaptans Specified Tube Absorption,
(Methyl Sampling or
Mercaptan, Incineration
DMS & DMDS)
 Odour Gas Control Technologies
Digester gases Incineration
Washer Vents Condensation
Evaporator gases Incineration
Condensate water Steam & air Stripping
Black liquor tower vent Incineration
Tail of vent Scrubbing
Recovery furnace Scrubbing
Smelt tank Scrubbing
Lime kiln Scrubbing
Bleach plant Scrubbing
Paper machines Incineration , Adsorption, Condensation
 Comparison of Various Technologies
Method Advantages Disadvantages
Incineration • Suitable for all TRS • High energy consumption
molecules in the inappropriate for HLVC
LVNC emissions emissions
• Production of SOx (acid
rains)
Alkaline/ • Suitable of H2S & • Unsuitable for DMS &
amine wet MM molecule in DMDS
scrubbing both LVNC & HLVC • Parasitic reactions
emissions
Wet • Very good TRS • Non-specific oxidation
Oxidation conservation (added cost)
• Oxidizer already • High oxidizer/ TRS radio
available on-site • Halogenated sub products
 Comparison of Various Technologies
Method Advantages Disadvantages
Bio filtration Suitable for H2S&MM • Unsuitable for DMS &
Low cost DMDS
• Low productivity
• High pressure drop
H2O2 injection Procedure simple and • High cost of H2O2
in the kiln easy to be applied • Only partial reduction
of the SRT
Activated Suitable of low flow • Activated carbon low
carbon rate and diluted TRS regeneration
absorption concentrations • Incompatibility with
Kraft emissions
Special thanks for providing
technical information to:-
1. Sh. Anil, Sr. Director, NIC, MoEFCC
2. Sh. Sunder Ramanathan, Addl. Director,
MoEFCC
3. Sh. VS Bhasker, Chola Risk Services, Chennai
Thank You