The Ministry of Ecology and Environment provides an interpretation of the newly formulated “Emission Standard for Air Pollutants from the Pesticide Manufacturing Industry.”

Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued three newly formulated standards, including the “Emission Standard for Air Pollutants from the Foundry Industry” (GB 39726—2020) and the “Emission Standard for Air Pollutants from the Pesticide Manufacturing Industry” (GB 39727—2020), along with four amendment sheets to existing standards, such as the “Emission Standard for Pollutants from the Inorganic Chemical Industry” (GB 31573—2015). The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has released interpretations of these seven standards and amendment sheets, including the “Emission Standard for Air Pollutants from the Pesticide Manufacturing Industry.” Below, only the key points are listed. Emission Standard for Air Pollutants from the Pesticide Manufacturing Industry (GB 39727—2020) Interpretation of.

What is the background behind the issuance of this standard?

At the current stage, China faces dual pressures: the PM2.5 pollution situation remains severe, while ozone (O3) pollution is becoming increasingly prominent. Particularly during the summer months, O3 has emerged as the primary factor driving air quality exceedances in some cities. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are key precursors to both PM2.5 and O3, and certain VOCs are toxic or odorous substances, making them among the priority atmospheric pollutants subject to stringent control in China. To strengthen VOCs pollution prevention and control and to refine a “sector‑plus‑comprehensive” VOC emissions standards framework, it is necessary to establish air pollutant emission standards for typical VOC‑emitting sectors, such as the pesticide industry.

After long-term, rapid development, China’s pesticide industry has become the world’s largest producer and exporter of pesticides, capable of manufacturing over 500 active ingredients and producing more than 300 formulations on an ongoing basis, with over 30,000 registered pesticide products. As a major source of VOC emissions, the pesticide industry features lengthy production processes, extensive use of diverse raw materials in large quantities, low product yields, and substantial pollutant discharges characterized by complex compositions and predominantly toxic and hazardous substances. For many years, the sector’s atmospheric pollutant emissions have been governed by the “Integrated Emission Standard for Air Pollutants” (GB 16297–1996), which imposes relatively lenient emission limits and lacks sector-specific measures. There is an urgent need to establish dedicated industry standards that align with the principles of precision‑based, science‑driven, and law‑compliant pollution control, raise entry barriers, and strengthen the regulation of emissions.

What are the key features of this standard in terms of emission control?

During pesticide production, numerous processes—including the storage and handling of VOC‑containing raw and auxiliary materials, material transfer, chemical reactions, and separation and purification—can all contribute to VOC emissions. Moreover, fugitive emissions are substantial, and significant releases of toxic, hazardous, and malodorous substances also occur. This standard adopts a comprehensive control approach that spans source reduction, process management, and end‑of‑pipe treatment, implementing both controlled and uncontrolled emission controls to effectively minimize pollutant discharges.

1. Strengthen source- and process‑level controls, and comprehensively enhance the management of fugitive emissions.

Controlling fugitive emissions of VOCs is one of the major challenges in the agrochemical industry. In light of the sector’s specific characteristics, the standard implements full‑process oversight of fugitive emissions. First, differentiated regulatory measures are applied to the use of raw and auxiliary materials with low VOC content, encouraging enterprises to achieve source‑level emission reductions. Second, clear, prescriptive control requirements are established for fugitive emission sources—including the storage of raw and auxiliary materials, production processes, and wastewater treatment. Finally, to assess the effectiveness of fugitive emission controls, recommended threshold values for on‑site monitoring concentrations are specified; local authorities may adopt these thresholds independently, based on their specific environmental protection needs.

2. Integrate comprehensive projects with specific pollutant‑related initiatives to achieve all‑round control of VOC emissions.

The pesticide industry emits a wide variety of atmospheric pollutants. Dozens of organic solvents are commonly used in the sector, and it also generates toxic and hazardous inorganic pollutants such as hydrogen chloride, ammonia, and cyanide. To comprehensively control atmospheric emissions from the pesticide industry, a combined approach—integrating “comprehensive parameters” with “specific pollutant parameters”—is adopted to ensure rigorous regulatory oversight. The comprehensive parameters include non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), thereby controlling the overall emission of VOCs. The specific pollutant parameters prioritize key substances: benzene-series compounds are regulated for their photochemical reactivity; phosgene and hydrogen cyanide are controlled to mitigate health risks; and hydrogen sulfide and ammonia are managed to prevent odor‑related public nuisance.

3. Implement dual‑indicator management of concentration and efficiency to achieve effective VOCs reduction.

While maintaining the conventional approach of controlling emissions based on concentration limits, and taking into account the characteristics of VOCs ventilation emissions, a dual-control strategy—combining emission concentration and removal efficiency—is applied to key sources with high emission volumes. When the initial NMHC emission rate from a workshop or production facility exceeds 3 kg/h (tightened to 2 kg/h in priority regions), removal efficiency must also be controlled, with a minimum treatment efficiency of 80%, effectively preventing dilution‑based emissions and reducing the total VOCs emissions.

What is the feasibility of implementing the standard?

With respect to particulate matter and acidic/alkaline waste gases, most pesticide manufacturers have already installed effective treatment facilities, so further upgrades are generally unnecessary. As for VOC emissions, the relevant control technologies are now well‑established; in key regions such as the Yangtze River Delta and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei area, pesticide producers have undertaken recent upgrades to their environmental protection systems, with many companies installing high‑efficiency treatment units like regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) and adsorption systems, thereby meeting emission‑control requirements.

For some enterprises, upgrading and retrofitting environmental protection facilities will entail a corresponding increase in production costs; however, based on calculations and surveys, this increase remains within an acceptable range. Given that it takes time for existing facilities to achieve compliance, this standard provides a two-year transition period for such enterprises.

During the standard‑development process, extensive industry input was solicited, and thorough consultations were held with industry associations and relevant enterprises; all stakeholders have reached consensus on the implementation of the standard.

What are the environmental and social benefits of implementing the standard?

At present, China has 2,010 entities holding pesticide registration certificates, including 719 enterprises above designated size; among them, 586 are chemical pesticide manufacturers, which constitute the primary sources of VOCs and inorganic pollutants in the pesticide manufacturing industry. Implementation of this standard is expected to achieve annual VOC emission reductions of approximately 200,000 tons, thereby contributing positively to the improvement of ambient air quality. At the same time, it will effectively reduce the release of toxic, harmful, and malodorous substances into the environment, helping to protect public health and mitigate nuisance caused by unpleasant odors.

Through the implementation of standards and stringent environmental准入 requirements, fair competition within the industry will be further enhanced, the “bad money drives out good” problem will be effectively addressed, and the industry’s transformation, upgrading, and high-quality development will be advanced.

Source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China