Enviroment

New national technical regulation on industrial emissions was promulgated

24/05/2025

On 30th December 2024, Ministry of natural resources and environment issued together with this Circular 45/2024/TT-BTNMT: QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT on National technical regulation on industrial emissions. 

This regulation will replace the national technical regulations below:  

  1. QCVN 19: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for dusts and inorganic substances;  

  1. QCVN 20: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for some organic substances;  

  1. QCVN 21: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for chemical fertilizer;  

  1. QCVN 22: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for heat power; 

  1. QCVN 23: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for cement production;  

  1. QCVN 34:2010/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial emissions for oil refining and inorganic substances; 

  1. QCVN 51:2017/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial emissions for steel industry  

This Circular takes effect from 01 July 2025. However, organizations don’t need to worry about this timeline because the Circular also gives time for organizations to develop roadmap for application, stated in Article 3. Transitional provisions: 

“Article 3. Transitional provisions 

1. Organizations have been in operation, investment projects that have had approval of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report or all documents related to approval process of EIA, environmental licenses or environmental registration have been sent to government before the effective date of this Circular: shall continue to apply national technical regulations on emissions (including local environmental technical regulations on emissions) until December 31, 2031.” 

Therefore, the transition period applied to organizations that have been in operation and have had their EIA/Environmental License/Environmental Registration approved until December 31, 2031. Organizations with new projects or expansions after July 1, 2025, must apply the regulation QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT. 

The new highlights of QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT that need to be noted are as follows: 

1. QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT divides maximum allowance concentration into 2 tables: Table of maximum allowable concentration ​​of gaseous substances (Table 1) and Table of maximum allowable concentration of particle substances (Table 2). 

2. In addition, depending on the area in which the industrial emission is discharged, the maximum allowable concentration will be applied. Specifically, Column A, Column B, Column C (emission discharge zones) in Table 1 and Table 2 of this regulation are specified as:  

Column 

Definition 

A 

Column A specifies the maximum allowable concentration in industrial emission of organizations which are in strictly protected areas. 

B 

Column B specifies the maximum allowable concentration in industrial emission of organizations which are in emission restriction areas. 

C 

Column C specifies the maximum allowable concentration in industrial emission of organizations which are in the remaining areas (not in strictly protected areas & not in emission restriction areas. 

3. The third new point is that QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT no longer requires organizations to calculate Cmax (maximum allowable concentration of industrial emission pollution substances). Organizations will directly use the maximum allowable concentration in Table 1 & Table 2, based on the type of discharge equipment & capacity of the equipment. 

4. Another new point of QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT is the addition of the maximum allowable concentration of Smoke Level that all organizations must control. In addition, the maximum allowable concentration in industrial emissions according to QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT have changed compared to previous QCVNs on emissions. For details on the maximum allowable values ​​of each subtances, please see details in Circular 45/2024/TT-BTNMT at the link below: 

https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/?pageid=27160&docid=212369&classid=1&orggroupid=4 

References: 

QCVN 19: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for dusts and inorganic substances;  

QCVN 20: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for some organic substances;  

QCVN 21: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for chemical fertilizer;  

QCVN 22: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for heat power; 

QCVN 23: 2009/BTNMT - National Technical Regulation on industrial emissions for cement production;  

QCVN 34:2010/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial emissions for oil refining and inorganic substances; 

QCVN 51:2017/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial emissions for steel industry