Dioxin and Furan

Dioxin and Furan are known to cause carcinogenic and mutagenic effect to many life-forms including human. They are very stable compounds. For instance, Dioxin are being released upon combustion of P.V.C plastic products and enters the atmospheric medium which constitutes the only source of air for us. This obnoxious substance is not destroyed even when incinerated at 1200 Deg. Celcius. Hence, Malaysia opted to regulate its emission standard from its respective sources.

The Regulation:    Environmental Quality (Dioxin and Furan) Regulation, 2004

Substance regulated              :        Dioxin and Furan

Significance         :        These are environmental hazardous substance and are known to be mutagenic.  For detail information, please browse website  :  www.sekitar.com and click ‘infotime’ – one of the published article is about the Dioxin and Furan.

Industries affected       :        ~ Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator

                                     ~ Scheduled Waste Incinerators

                                               ~ Pulp and ‘Paper Industries’ sludge incinerator

                                               ~ Sewage sludge incinerators

Emission Limit     :        For new facilities; is not exceeding 0.1ng/Nm³ TEQ

Note  :        For existing facilities – shall also subscribe to the limit of 0.1 ng/Nm3 TEQ for the first 3 years from May 1^st, 2004 unless otherwise officially advices by the Department of Environment.

Standard Sampling Method   :        US. EPA Method 23

Standard Analytical Method  :        US. EPA Method 8290

Enforcement Agency    :        Department of Environment, Malaysia.

Enforcement Standards         :        ~ EQ (Dioxin & Furan) Reg, 2004

                                               ~ EIA Approval’s terms & conditions

                                               ~ Licence’s term & conditions

                                               ~ Licence renewal enforcement checking/audit

                                               ~ Isokinetic Stack Sampling by DOE

                                               ~ Legal actions

Legal Actions       :        ~ Written Notices

                                      ~ Judicial Prosecution

                                      ~ Licence Suspension/Revokation

                                      ~ Prohibition Order (Stop Operation)

Legal Liability (Judicial)        :        Max. RM 100.000 and/or imprisonment for max. 5 years

  

Future Application    :    The applicable scope of this law may be broaden to include   other industries;

                                      ~ any thermal application

                                      ~ petrochemicals

Also, Department Of Environment may standardize sampling and analytical competency on contractors/laboratories in the form of certification.

Please update your corresponding legal register for Clause 4.3.2 ISO 14001 if this law is applicable to your operation.  Also, do not forget to update your Internal Audit Checklist!