Emission (air emission)
Also known as: stack emission · emissions
Emission is the release of pollutants — gases, particulate matter or vapours — into the air from a source such as a stack, chimney, vent, engine or processing unit. Quantity and concentration are regulated under the Air Act 1981.
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What is Emission?
Emission is the discharge of any air pollutant into the atmosphere from a defined source. In Indian environmental regulation, emissions are governed by the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 and the General Standards notified by the CPCB under the Environment (Protection) Rules 1986. Emissions are split into two practical categories: point-source emissions that leave through a stack or vent (where concentration limits in mg/Nm³ apply), and fugitive emissions that escape from conveyors, transfer points, open piles and leaking flanges (controlled by housekeeping and capture rather than a single measurable point).
Every emission carries two regulated quantities: concentration (mass of pollutant per normal cubic metre of dry flue gas) and load (total mass released per unit time). A recycler can be within the concentration limit but still breach the consent if total load exceeds what the Consent to Operate permits. CPCB standards typically reference dry gas at 0°C and 1 atmosphere (normal conditions), often corrected to a reference oxygen or CO₂ percentage so operators cannot dilute the flue gas with excess air to appear compliant.
For a recycling or pyrolysis operator, the emissions that matter most are particulate matter from shredding, drying and combustion; SO₂ and NOₓ from burners and gensets; VOCs and dioxins/furans from thermal processes; and acid gases (HCl, HF) where chlorinated or fluorinated feedstock is processed. Each appears as a specific row in the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) consent conditions.
The operational discipline is to know your emission inventory before you apply for consent: list every stack and vent, estimate the pollutant and load from each, and size your control equipment (cyclone, baghouse, scrubber) to the worst-case. Emission monitoring — manual stack sampling or, above a threshold capacity, an Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) reporting live to the SPCB server — is the proof of compliance the board checks during inspection.
Common questions about Emission
Plain-English answers to what people most often ask.
What is the difference between emission and effluent?
Which law regulates air emissions in India?
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