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 > Part 3 : Minimum Emission Standards

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

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