Full Text
REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
The Gazette of India
CG-DL-E-10092025-266057
EXTRAORDINARY
PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (i)
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2025/BHADRA 19, 1947
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 4th September, 2025
G.S.R. 612(E) -In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, namely: -
1. (1) These rules may be called the Environment (Protection) Seventh Amendment Rules, 2025.
(2) They shall come into force on expiry of a period of two years from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, here-in after referred to as the said rules, in Schedule-I,- (i) for serial number 14 and the entries relating thereto, the following shall be substituted, namely:-
STANDARDS FOR PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY
PART-I: EFFLUENT STANDARD
+-------+-----------------------------+---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| S. No.| Industry | Parameter | Standards |
+-------+-----------------------------+---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) |
+-------+-----------------------------+---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|"14 | Pulp and Paper Industry | | Concentration not to exceed, |
| | | | mg/l except for pH, colour and |
| | | | sodium adsorption ratio |
+-------+-----------------------------+---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| A. | Treated effluent from Pulp and| EFFLUENTS | |
| | Paper Mills manufacturing | pH | 6.5 - 8.5 |
| | product from Chemical Pulp$ | Total Suspended Solids | 50 |
| | | Biochemical Oxygen Demand [3 days at | 20 |
| | | 27°c] | |
| | | Chemical Oxygen Demand | 250 |
| | | Total Dissolved Solids | 2100* |
| | | Colour, Platinum Cobalt Units | 350 |
| | | Adsorbable Organic Halogens | 10 |
| | | Sodium Adsorption Ratio | 10 |
+-------+-----------------------------+---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| B. | Treated effluent from Pulp and| pH | 6.5 - 8.5 |
| | Paper Mills manufacturing | Total Suspended Solids | 50 |
| | product from Recycled fiber based| | |
| | pulp and Market Pulp | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | 20 |
| | | Chemical Oxygen Demand | 250 |
| | | Total Dissolved Solids | 2100* |
| | | Colour, Platinum Cobalt Units | 350 |
| | | Adsorbable Organic Halogens | 05 |
| | | Sodium Adsorption Ratio | 08 |
+-------+-----------------------------+---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Note:1. $ The Manufacturing of chemical pulp shall be allowed for mills having chemical recovery process facility for achieving zero black-liquor discharge.
2. * In case where Total Dissolved Solids of intake water is above 1100mg/l, a maximum contribution by industrial unit up to 1000mg/l shall be permitted provided the maximum value of 3100 mg/l is not exceeded in the treated effluent i.e.
+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Total Dissolved Solids in intake water (mg/l) | Maximum limit of Total Dissolved Solids in treated effluent (mg/l) |
+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| TDS in intake water ≤1100 | 2100 |
| 1100<TDS in intake water≤ 2100 | TDS in intake water+1000 |
| TDS in intake water>2100 | 3100 |
+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
3. Standard for Total Dissolved Solids and Sodium Adsorption Ratio shall not be applicable in case of marine disposal through proper marine outfall.
PART-II: FRESH WATER CONSUMPTION AND EFFLUENT DISCHARGE STANDARD
(Volume in m3/Ton of product*)
+-----+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+
| | | FRESHWATER CONSUMPTION | EFFLUENT DISCHARGE ** |
+-----+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+
| (i) | Pulp and Paper Mills producing bleached grades of chemical pulp, papers and paperboards | 50 | 40 |
| (ii)| Pulp and Paper Mills producing unbleached grades of chemical pulp, papers and paperboards | 25 | 20 |
| (iii)| Recycled Fibre and Market Pulp Based Paper Mills producing bleached grades of papers, paperboards and newsprint | 15 | 10 |
| (iv)| Recycled Fibre and Market Pulp Based Paper Mills producing unbleached grades of papers, paperboards and newsprint | 10 | 06 |
| (v) | Recycled Fibre and Market Pulp Based Specialty Paper Mills *** | 50 | 40 |
+-----+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+------------------------+
Note: 1 * Besides paper, paperboard, specialty papers and newsprint, "product" shall include air dry tonnes of surplus pulp produced for short term storage (as dried sheets or as wet-lap) or for sale.
2 ** Effluent discharge shall mean effluent leaving the outlet of final wastewater treatment stage and includes volumes applied on land within the mill or other mill-owned land. Such application on land is not be drawn from any point before the outlet of the final wastewater treatment stage.
3 *** applies to mills that manufacture only specialty papers.
PART-III: EMISSION STANDARD
+---+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| | Parameter | Concentration not to exceed, mg/Nm³ | |
+---+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| I | Odorous Emission Standard | H2S | 10 |
+---+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
Explanation: This emission shall be measured as an odour control assessment, to identify and evaluate point source emissions of odorous gases. Mills that operate with a Soda Process and mill with Sulphur-free operations shall be exempted.
+----+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| II | Stack Emission Standard | Parameter | Concentration not to exceed, mg/Nm³ |
+----+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| (a)| Chemical Recovery Plant boilers | Particulate matter, PM | 100 |
| | or Limekiln | H2S | 10 |
+----+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| (b)| Boilers* | ---* | |
+----+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
Note:* These emission standard for (b) Boilers* shall be applicable in accordance with the standards notified for general boilers”.;
(ii) Serial number 29, 53 and 54 and the entries relating thereto shall be omitted.
3. In the said rules, in Schedule-VI,-
(i) sub-item (i) of item (a) of serial number 3 of Part-B and the entries relating thereto shall be omitted.
(ii) sub-items (i) and (ii) of item (b) of serial number 3 of Part-B and the entries relating thereto shall be omitted.
(iii) serial number 2 of Part-C and the entries relating thereto shall be omitted.
4. The above standards shall not be applicable to Rayon Grade Pulp industry.
[F. No. Q-15017/41/2008-CPW]
NEELESH KUMAR SAH, Jt. Secy.
Note: The principle rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number S.O. 844(E), dated the 19th November, 1986 and last amended vide G.S.R. 487(E), dated 22nd July, 2025.