CPCB Scientist B cheat sheet

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS, 2009) cover 12 pollutants: PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, O3, Pb, NH3, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, arsenic, nickel; PM2.5 annual limit 40 µg/m3, 24-h 60 µg/m3; PM10 annual 60 µg/m3, 24-h 100 µg/m3.

NAAQS are notified under Section 16(2)(h) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; industrial stack emission limits are notified separately under Section 17(1)(g) and Schedule VI of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.

AQI (2014) uses eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, O3, NH3, Pb) with sub-indices; AQI is the maximum sub-index; categories: Good 0-50, Satisfactory 51-100, Moderate 101-200, Poor 201-300, Very Poor 301-400, Severe 401-500.

Source apportionment tools: CMB (chemical mass balance) for source contributions, PMF (positive matrix factorization) for factor profiles, and ISCST3/AERMOD Gaussian dispersion models for regulatory predictions.

Dispersion rule: ground-level concentration scales with emission rate and inversely with wind speed; effective stack height H = h + Δh (plume rise by Briggs formulas), and concentration ∝ exp(−H²/2σz²).

Non-attainment cities are identified where NAAQS are persistently exceeded; the National Clean Air Programme (2019) targets 20-30% reduction in PM10 by 2024 against a 2017 base year, with 40% (2026 revision) for many cities.

Continuous ambient monitoring (CAAQMS) must use reference/equivalent methods; PM2.5 by beta attenuation or TEOM, SO2 by UV fluorescence, NOx by chemiluminescence, O3 by UV photometry, CO by NDIR.

Stubble burning and episodic events are handled by the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi-NCR: graded restrictions from Very Poor to Severe+ AQI, including construction bans and vehicle restrictions.

Odour and fugitive emissions are controlled under Section 17 of the Air Act; consent conditions typically require covered handling, water sprinkling, wind-breaking walls and green belts.

Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 created CPCB and SPCBs; Section 24 prohibits discharge of sewage/effluent without consent; Section 25/26 consent to establish and consent to operate.

Designated best use classification (CPCB, 1978) has five classes: A (drinking after disinfection, DO ≥6 mg/L, BOD ≤2), B (outdoor bathing, DO ≥5, BOD ≤3), C (drinking after conventional treatment, DO ≥4, BOD ≤3), D (propagation of wildlife/fisheries, DO ≥4), E (irrigation/industrial cooling, BOD ≤6).

Water Quality Index (CPCB) uses weighted arithmetic mean of nine parameters; weights: DO 0.17, BOD 0.16, COD 0.16, pH 0.11, faecal coliform 0.16, total coliform 0.16, ammoniacal nitrogen 0.16, nitrate 0.08, phosphate 0.08 (sum 1.0).

General discharge standards (Schedule VI, EP Rules 1986): pH 5.5-9.0, BOD3 ≤30 mg/L, COD ≤250 mg/L, TSS ≤100 mg/L, oil & grease ≤10 mg/L; inland surface water is stricter than marine/land disposal.

Sewage treatment sizing: 80% of water supply is commonly assumed as wastewater generation; design flow = peak factor × average; SBR, MBBR, UASB and ASP are common secondary technologies; tertiary polishing for nutrient removal.

River rejuvenation uses minimum environmental flow (e-flow) norms; Namami Gange defines e-flow at 20% of average lean-season flow for upper stretches and 10% for lower stretches.

Groundwater regulation: Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) notifies over-exploited blocks; NOC required for extraction; rainwater harvesting mandatory for plots above notified area thresholds.

Effluent standards for specific industries (distillery, tannery, pulp & paper, textile, sugar) are notified under Schedule I of EP Rules and often require zero liquid discharge (ZLD).

BOD test: 5-day, 20 °C incubation, seeded dilution; BOD exertion follows first-order kinetics: BODt = BODu (1 − e^(−kt)); typical k = 0.1/day (base 10) or 0.23/day (base e).

Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 under EP Act 1986; ambient limits (Leq, dB(A)): Industrial 75 day/70 night, Commercial 65/55, Residential 55/45, Silence zone 50/40.

Day time = 6:00-22:00; night time = 22:00-6:00; silence zone is 100 m around hospitals, schools, courts and religious places.

Loudspeaker/public address use is restricted to 10:00-22:00 with written permission; prohibited in silence zones and at night (except emergency).

Noise is measured as equivalent continuous level Leq = 10 log10[(1/T) ∫ (p²/p0²) dt]; adding two equal sources gives +3 dB; doubling distance from a point source reduces level by about 6 dB.

A-weighting (dB(A)) approximates human hearing response; impulse noise, low-frequency noise and tonality require separate assessment.

Horn prohibition zones and 'no horn' signage are mandatory near schools and hospitals; enforcement lies with police and SPCBs under Rule 4 and 5.

Industrial noise control hierarchy: source control (silencers, enclosures, vibration isolators), path control (barriers, absorbers), receiver protection (ear muffs, hearing conservation).

Construction noise is regulated through consent conditions; DG sets require acoustic enclosures and are covered under Noise Rules Schedule; firecracker noise limits are set by CPCB/PESO.

Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016: Schedule I lists 36 waste streams, Schedule III lists hazardous characteristics (H1-H13), Schedule IV lists prohibited wastes; manifest system and TSDF/CHWIF authorisation required.

Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 apply to urban local bodies and generators; segregation at source into wet, dry and domestic hazardous; processing hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, dispose.

Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016: four colour-coded categories (yellow, red, white translucent, blue); Yellow = human/animal anatomical, soiled, expired medicines; Red = contaminated recyclable plastics; White = sharps; Blue = glassware and metallic implants.

Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (amended 2021/2022): EPR obligation on producers, importers and brand owners; banned single-use plastics (SUP) list effective 1 July 2022; thickness of plastic carry bags raised to 120 microns from 31 Dec 2022.

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 (effective 1 April 2023): EPR with recycling targets, 106 EEE categories condensed into major schedules; producers must register on the CPCB portal; informal recycling phase-out.

Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022: EPR for all battery types (lead-acid, lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium); collection and recycling targets phased from 2024; importers and producers responsible for end-of-life.

Used Tyre (Management and Handling) Rules, 2022: EPR obligation on producers/importers; recycling and co-processing targets; restriction on import of waste tyres for disposal.

Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016: generators must segregate and transport to C&D processing facilities; ULBs to prepare C&D waste management plans; recycled products to be used in public works.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a common thread across plastic, e-waste, battery and tyre rules; EPR certificates are issued on the CPCB EPR portal and can be traded for compliance.

Environmental compensation (EC) is levied by CPCB under Section 5 of the EP Act, 1986 and the NGT directions; CPCB guidelines (2019, revised 2023) prescribe EC formulas for non-compliance with consent conditions.

EC formula: EC = PI × N × R × F, where PI is the pollution index, N is the number of days of violation, R is the base rate (₹), and F is a factor for severity/repeat offence.

Pollution Index (PI) is computed as the ratio of measured concentration to the standard, weighted for parameters; higher PI indicates more severe violation.

CPCB categorises industries into Red, Orange, Green and White based on pollution potential; Red requires more frequent monitoring and stricter consent conditions; White is exempt from consent to operate.

Consent to establish (CTE) is issued before construction; consent to operate (CTO) is issued before commissioning; both are renewable and carry conditions on effluent, emissions, and hazardous waste.

Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) serve industrial clusters; member units pay capital and O&M charges; CETP performance is monitored by SPCBs and CPCB under the Charter.

Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) and Continuous Effluent Quality Monitoring Systems (CEQMS) are mandatory for 17 categories of highly polluting industries; data is transmitted to CPCB servers.

Environmental compensation for solid waste and plastic waste non-compliance is levied on ULBs and brand owners under CPCB guidelines; funds are used for remediation and waste management infrastructure.

NGT can order restitution and compensation under Section 15 and 17 of the NGT Act, 2010; polluter pays and precautionary principles are applied as per the Supreme Court's Vellore Citizens judgment.

CPCB prepares national-level plans such as the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and river basin action plans; SPCBs prepare state action plans for non-attainment cities and polluted river stretches.

Polluted river stretches are categorised by BOD: Priority I (BOD >30 mg/L), Priority II (20-30), Priority III (10-20), Priority IV (6-10), Priority V (3-6); 351 stretches identified in the 2018 CPCB report.

City action plans under NCAP include source apportionment, emission inventories, control measures (road dust, vehicular, industrial, biomass) and a monitoring network with CAAQMS.

Industrial cluster planning uses the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI); CEPI >70 = critically polluted area, 60-70 = severely polluted, 50-60 = very polluted.

CEPI = (A × B) + C + D, where A is the pollutant concentration factor, B is the pathway factor, C is the receptor factor, and D is the additional high-risk factor.

Land-use planning for industry uses siting criteria: buffer zones around hazardous facilities, distance from water bodies and residential areas, and green belt width (typically 33% of plot area or as per consent).

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 (amended 2020) requires prior EC for Category A (appraised by EAC at MoEFCC) and Category B (SEIAA/SEAC) projects; public consultation is mandatory except for B2 projects.

Waste management plans are integrated at the state level through State Pollution Control Boards and Urban Local Bodies; C&D, plastic and e-waste plans are required under the respective rules.

Monitoring networks follow CPCB guidelines: NAMP for ambient air, NWMP for water; stations should be sited to represent background, residential, industrial and traffic-influenced areas.

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is umbrella legislation; Section 3 empowers the Central Government to set standards and issue directions; Section 5 allows directions including closure and compensation.

Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Water Cess Act, 1977 (now repealed and subsumed, cess replaced by GST); Wildlife Protection Act 1972; Forest Conservation Act 1980; Biological Diversity Act 2002.

National Green Tribunal Act, 2010: NGT has jurisdiction over civil cases involving environmental laws listed in Schedule I; appeals to Supreme Court within 90 days; principles of sustainable development, precautionary and polluter pays apply.

EIA Notification, 2006 and amendments (2020): projects categorised A/B; EC validity 10 years for mining and 5-10 years for others; compliance reports every six months.

Hazardous waste, bio-medical, e-waste, plastic, battery, tyre and C&D rules are notified under Sections 3 and 6 of the EP Act; each rule has its own authorisation and reporting requirements.

CPCB functions under Section 16 of the Water Act and Section 16 of the Air Act: coordinate, advise, set standards, and monitor; SPCBs implement consent and enforcement.

Environmental standards are notified under Schedule I (industry-specific effluent), Schedule III (emission), Schedule IV (ambient air), Schedule VI (general discharge) of the EP Rules, 1986.

Environmental clearance is a prior condition; violation triggers Section 15 (penalty) and Section 19 (offence) of the EP Act; NGT can order demolition, restitution and compensation.

Public liability insurance and environmental relief under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991; compensation is paid from the Environment Relief Fund for accidents involving hazardous substances.

Laboratory accreditation under NABL follows ISO/IEC 17025:2017; quality control includes blanks, duplicates, spikes, matrix spikes, calibration verification and control charts.

Calibration curves should have at least five points, r² ≥ 0.995; blanks must be below method detection limit; MDL is typically 3× standard deviation of seven replicate blank measurements.

Air monitoring: PM2.5 by gravimetric method using 47 mm PTFE filters with a flow rate of 16.7 L/min; PM10 by gravimetric method at 1.13 m3/min (or 16.7 L/min depending on sampler).

Water sampling uses grab or composite sampling; preservation: HNO3 for metals, H2SO4 for COD/ammonia, ice cooling at 4 °C for BOD and microbiological samples; holding times vary by parameter.

BOD measurement requires DO measurement before and after 5-day incubation at 20 °C in the dark; nitrification inhibitor (ATU) is added for carbonaceous BOD; seed correction applied.

COD by closed reflux dichromate method (APHA 5220); mercury sulphate masks chloride interference; absorbance read at 600 nm; result expressed as mg O2/L.

Noise monitoring uses a Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meter with A-weighting, slow response, at 1-1.5 m above ground and at least 3 m from reflecting surfaces; 24-hour Leq computed.

Data quality: chain of custody, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), inter-laboratory proficiency testing (PT), and participation in CPCB/NABL proficiency schemes.

Reporting limits must be below the regulatory standard; results below MDL reported as <MDL; measurement uncertainty estimated per ISO/IEC Guide 98-3 (GUM).