NEW DELHI: A recent technical expert committee’s findings on the pollution impact of pet coke has paved the way for a ban on its import for use as fuel by industries and thermal power plants. While China and the US have long stopped import of pet coke, proceedings in the Supreme Court on a petition against air pollution has led to India considering a ban on its imports too.

The TEC, consisting of scientists from IIT and CPCB, found pet coke to be five to six times more polluting than coal. In an affidavit to SC, the environment ministry referred to the findings of TEC. In case of thermal power plants, even under the most stringent pollution control scenarios, the particulate matter emission load from pet coke is five to six times higher. TEC concluded that coal would be a better alternative to pet coke. Similar results were found for large boilers, too, where pet coke was found to be 3 to 6 times more polluting.

But the emission load of pet coke was found to be lower than coal in case of small boilers. The SC-mandated EPCA has said that as the pollution control systems of small boilers are rudimentary and emission standards lax, regulating the use of pet coke in small boilers will be a huge challenge. CPCB also said that allowing import of pet coke for small boilers could pose a monitoring challenge. “In view of the above background, it is proposed that import of pet coke in the country be regulated and permitted for clean purposes only as specified by regulatory agencies and not for polluting units,” the environment ministry recommended to SC.

SC asked the environment ministry what it meant by “permitted for clean purposes”. It was clarified that some industries like cement, limekiln, gasification and carbide use pet coke in their industrial processes and not as fuel. These can continue to use pet coke. Exempting aluminium and steel industries that also use pet coke as feedstock is being considered by the environment ministry, EPCA and CPCB. “After listening to the ministry and us (EPCA), the court was of the view that import of pet coke for all industries except the four exempted should be banned forthwith. This order has huge implications for air pollution control in NCR and India,” said Sunita Narain, EPCA member.

EPCA had earlier assessed that thousands of industries in and around NCR may be using pet coke as fuel. Due to its air pollution impact, the US has started exporting pet coke while China stopped imports of pet coke three years ago.

