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National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004)

Notices

List of Activities which result in atmospheric emissions which have or may have a significant deterimental effect on the environment, including health, social conditions, economic conditions, ecological conditions or cultural heritage

Category 6: Organic Chemicals Industry

 

Category 6 : Organic Chemicals Industry

 

Description:

The production, or use in production of organic chemicals not specified elsewhere including acetylene, acetic, maleic or phthalic anhydride or their acids, carban disulphide, pyridine, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and its derivatives, acrylonitrile, amines and synthetic rubber.

The production of organometallic compounds, organic dyes and pigments, surface=active agents.

The polymerisation or co-polymerisation of any unsaturated hydrocarbons, substituted hydrocarbon (including vinyl chloride).

The manufacture, recovery or purification of acrylic acid or any ester of acrylic acid.

The use of toluene di-isocyanate or other di-isocyanate of comparable volatility; or recovery of pyridine.

Application:

All installations producing or using more than 100 tons per annum of any of  the listed compounds.

Substance or mixture of substances

Plant

status

mg/Nm3 under normal conditions of

273 Kelvin and 101.3kPa.

Common name

Chemical

symbol

Sulphur trioxide

(from suponation

processes)

 

SO3

New

30

Existing

100

Acrylonitrile

(from processes

producing and/or

using acrylonitrile).

 

CH2CHCN

New

5

Existing

5

Methylamines

(from nitrogen-

containing

organic chemicals)

 

CH5N

New

10

Existing

10

Total volatile

organic compounds

(thermal)

 

N/A

New

150

Existing

150

Total volatile

organic compounds

(non thermal)

 

N/A

New

40 000

Existing

40 000

 

(a) The following transitional arrangement shall apply for the storage and handling of raw materials, intermediate and final products with a vapour pressure greater than 14kPa at operating temperature:—

 

Leak detection and repair (LDAR) program approved by licensing authority to be instituted, by 01 January 2014.

 

(b) The following special arrangements shall apply for control of TVOCs from storage of raw materials, intermediate and final products with a vapour pressure of up to 14kPa at operating temperature, except during loading and offloading. (Alternative control measures that can achieve the same or better results may be used)—

 

(i) Storage vessels for liquids shall be of the following type:

 

Application

All permanent immobile liquid storage facilities at a single site with a combined storage capacity of greater than 1000 cubic meters.

True vapour pressure of contents at  product storage temperature

Type of tank or vessel

Type 1: Up to 14 kPa

Fixed-roof tank vented to atmosphere, or as per Type 2 and 3

Type 2: Up to 14 kPa and up to 91 kPa with a throughput of less than 50'000 m3 per annum

Fixed-roof tank vented to atmosphere, or as per Type 2 and 3

Type 3: Up to 14 kPa and up to 91 kPa with a throughput of less than 50'000 m3 per annum

(j) External floating-roof tank with primary rim seal and secondary rim seal for tank with a diameter greater than 20m2, or
(k) fixed-roof tank with internal floating deck/roof fitted with primary seal, or
(l) fixed-roof tank with vapour recovery system.

Type 4: Up to 91 kPa

Pressure vessel

 

(ii) The roof legs, slotted pipes and/or dipping well on floating roof tanks (except for domed floating roof tanks or internal floating roof tanks) shall have sleeves fitted to minimise emissions.

 

(iii) Relief valves on pressurised storage should undergo periodic checks for internal leaks. This can be carried out using portable acoustic monitors or if venting to atmosphere with an accessible open end, tested with a hydrocarbon analyser as part of an LDAR programme.

 

(c) The following special arrangements shall apply for control of TVOCs from the loading and unloading (excluding ships) of raw materials, intermediate and final products with a vapour pressure of greater than 14kPa at handling temperature. Alternative control measures that can achieve the same or better results may be used:

 

(i) All installations with a throughput of greater than 50'000 m3 per annum of products with a vapour pressure greater than 14 kPa, must be fitted with vapour recovery/destruction units. Emission limits are set out in the table below—

 

Description:

Vapour Recovery Units

Application:

All loading/offloading facilities with a throughput greater than 50 000m3.

Substance or mixture of substances

Plant

status

mg/Nm3 under normal conditions of

273 Kelvin and 101.3kPa.

Common name

Chemical

symbol

Total volatile organic compounds

from vapour recovery/destruction

units using thermal treatment

 

N/A

New

150

Existing

150

Total volatile organic compounds

from vapour recovery/destruction

units using thermal treatment

 

N/A

New

40 000

Existing

40 000

 

(ii) For road tanker and rail car loading/offloading facilities where the throughput is less than 50'000 m3 per annum, and where ambient air quality is, or is likely to be impacted, all liquid products shall be loaded using bottom loading, or equivalent, with the venting pipe connected to a vapour balancing system. Where vapour balancing and/or bottom loading is not possible, a recovery system utilizing adsorption, absorption, condensation or incineration of the remaining VOC's, with a collection efficiency of at least 95%, shall be fitted