Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa-Herald Reporter
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has implored businesses to comply with air emissions regulations by obtaining licences for their standby power generators or risk being fined.
Under the Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27, owners of standby generators 5KVA and above require a licence.
In a Press statement, EMA Harare manager Leon Mutungamiri said standby generators that emit pollutants require licences under the Environmental Management Act to comply with air emissions regulations.
“Standby power generators are one of the various trade facilities that release air pollutants, through exhausts, from the combustion of fossil fuels in internal engines,” he said.
“As such, like all other air-emitting appliances, standby generators should comply with air emissions licensing provisions sited in the Environmental Management Act Cap 20:27 as read with Statutory Instrument 72 of 2009, “Atmospheric Pollution Control.”
He said non-compliance tickets are being issued to unlicensed operators.
“Monitoring for compliance with these statutes is being carried out extensively in Harare Metropolitan Province at all the premises.
“A standby power generator with a power rating that is more than five Kilovolts-Amperes (5KVA) shall emit the exhaust emissions under a license by the Environmental Management Agency, excluding households.”
According to the statement, businesses are advised to visit EMA offices to obtain the necessary permits and avoid penalties.
He said businesses with generators over 5KVA must obtain an emissions licence or face fines.
“All premises with emitting generators which are more than 5KVA, excluding households, are supposed to visit the Environmental Management Agency offices and acquire a licence.
The Environmental Management Act CAP20:27 stipulates that, “No owner or operator of a trade or any establishment shall emit a substance or energy which causes or is likely to cause air pollution without an emission licence issued by the Agency”.
Operators of generators without a licence will be issued with tickets for non-compliance and all business entities in Harare Metropolitan Province are encouraged to apply for licences to avoid being fined.
