The current standard is formulated for the purpose of implementing laws and regulations such as Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China, Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, Law of the People's Republic of China on Marine Environment Protection, Decision of the State Council on Implementing the Outlook on Scientific Development and Strengthening Environmental Protection as well as national requirement for strengthening prevention and control of heavy metal pollution, protecting the environment, preventing and controlling pollution, and facilitating the progress of production process and pollution control technology of rare earth industry. The current standard specifies the contents such as the limits for water pollutants discharge and air pollutant emission of rare earth enterprises or production facilities, monitoring and supervision requirement, implementation and supervision of the standard. Odor emission, noise and air pollutants from boilers of rare earth industrial enterprises shall apply relevant national emission standard. The identification, treatment and disposal of the generated waste from the industry shall apply national standard for control of solid waste. The current standard is applicable to the management of discharge of water & air pollutants of existing rare earth enterprises, EIA of construction projects of rare earth industry, design of environmental protection facilities, check & acceptance of the completed environmental protection facilities and the management of discharge of water & air pollutants after the facilities are put into operation. The control requirements for discharge of water pollutants specified in the current standard are applicable to the conducts of enterprises that directly or indirectly discharge water pollutants outside their legal boundary. The current standard is not applicable to rare earth processing enterprises (or workshops and systems) and non-typical production process and devices of industrial enterprises affiliated to rare earth industry. The current standard is issued for the first time in China. The control of water and air pollutants from rare earth industrial enterprises shall comply with the requirements of the current standard and no longer comply with relevant requirements of Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard (GB8978-1996), Comprehensive Emission Standard of Air Pollutants (GB16297-1996) and Standard of Smoke and Dust Emission for Industrial Kiln and Furnace (GB9078-1996) since the date when the current standard goes into effect.
Emission Standards of Pollutants from Rare Earths Industry(GB 26451—2011)
