EQ (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm Oil) Regulations 1977 #
Preamble & Legislative Authority #
- Issued under section 51 of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 [Act 127], after consultation with the Environmental Quality Council.
- Publication Date: 3 November 1977.
- Commencement Dates: Regulation 1–2, 3(1), 5, 11–17 started on 4 November 1977; Regulations 3(2), 4, 6–10, 18 began on 1 July 1978
Regulation 1: Citation and Commencement #
- Official title: Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm‑Oil) Regulations, 1977.
- Specifies staggered enforcement as noted above.
Regulation 2: Interpretation #
Defines key terms such as:
- B.O.D., B.O.D. concentration/loading
- Effluent
- Licence
- Parameter
- Prescribed premises (oil‑palm processing sites)
- Watercourse (rivers, lakes, canals, the sea, etc.)
Regulation 3: Prescribed Periods #
- Section 18(2)(a) license application deadline: 31 March 1978
- Section 18(2)(c) transfer period: within 14 days of change of occupancy
Regulation 4: Change of Occupancy #
- New occupiers must observe existing license conditions for 14 days or until their application is approved
Regulation 5: Reporting Changes #
- Notify the Director General within 7 days of any material change in information submitted
Regulation 6: Altering Quality of Effluent #
- No major changes affecting effluent quality or volume without written approval from the Director General.
Regulation 7: Duty to Assist #
- Occupier must provide cooperation, labour, and instruments for DOE inspections under Section 38
Regulation 8: Dilution Prohibited #
- Effluent cannot be diluted post-production without prior written permission.
Regulation 9: Display of Licence #
- Licence and attachments must be displayed prominently at the premises
Regulation 10: Quarterly Returns #
- Returns must be submitted within 14 days after each quarter (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)
- First return may be delayed until after first full quarter if starting mid‑quarter.
Regulation 11: Guide for Limits #
- Standards for effluent based on Regulations 12 and 13
Regulation 12: Discharge into Watercourse #
- Limits phased by period:
- 1978–79: generally no limits unless imposed
- 1979 onward: specific limits for B.O.D., C.O.D., solids, oil & grease, etc.
- Greater or lesser limits allowed by Director General under exceptional cases.
Regulation 13: Discharge onto Land #
- Only B.O.D. limits ordinarily imposed:
- 1978‑79: none normally
- From 1979: limit 5,000 mg/L, adjustable based on circumstances/research
Regulation 14: Point of Discharge #
- Specifies physical discharge location; all parameters measured at that point.
Regulation 15: Fee for Permission #
- $100 fee for permission under Section 19, non‑refundable
Regulation 16: Licence Fee & Renewal #
- Base fee: $100 plus effluent‑related additional charge per Third Schedule
- Additional amount due when called for; base fee non‑refundable
Regulation 17: Fee Waiver #
- Possible waiver for environmental research cases, subject to Director General and Minister approval
Regulation 18: Fee for Licence Transfer #
- Fixed fee: RM30
Schedules Attached #
- First Schedule: Quarterly return form template (detailed fields for production and effluent data)
- Second Schedule: Effluent parameter limits by period for watercourse discharge
- Includes B.O.D., C.O.D., total solids, suspended solids, oil & grease, nitrogen (ammoniacal & total), pH, and temperature, with staged reductions over years
- Third Schedule: Method for computing effluent‑related portion of licence fee
- Based on volume discharged, minimum charge RM150 for watercourse or land discharge; detailed per‑ton structure