Overview of Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst

Solid Catalysts contain the metal oxide, metals and sulphides that contribute mainly in the refining process of petroleum to cleaner fuels and many other valuable and precious products but become solid waste after utilisation. In many industries, these spend catalysts are discarded from the hydro-processing units and constitute a large part of this solid waste. Proper dumping of this solid waste containing the Spend Catalysts requires stringent guidance and compliance with the Hazardous Waste Management Rules due to the hazardous and toxic Nature of the Waste.  Therefore to manage the Spend Catalyst from becoming an environmental problem, there is a number of methods that can be employed like metals recovery, minimizing spent catalyst waste generation by regeneration and reuse, utilization to produce useful materials and treatment for safe disposal as well as Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst.

Precious metal catalysts are crucial for many technical syntheses. The main application fields in oil refining are catalytic reforming, isomerisation and hydrocracking. Such precious metal-bearing catalysts are also used in bulk and speciality chemicals productions such as vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), purified terephtalic acid (PTA) and many hydrogenation processes. The noble metals involved are mainly platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd), but also the other platinum group metals (PGM) ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir) and rhodium (Rh), as well as gold (Au) and silver (Ag), either alone or in combination. Often, other metals (for example, Sn, Pb, Ni, Co, Ge) are used as promoters. All these metals are coated on various carriers such as alumina, silica, zeolites and carbon.

Apart from these precious metals mentioned above, spent catalysts also contain different substances like: -

• Catalytic base metals and promoters: Sn, Pb, Ni, Co, and so forth
• Fe, Ni, Cr from process corrosion of reactor walls and tubes
• Hazardous elements by way of contamination through the feed/crude oil (As, Hg and more)
• Halogens (Cl, F, and so on) such as those found in isomerisation catalysts
• Carbon (for example, high coked “heel” CCR catalysts) and hydrocarbon contamination from the catalytic process.

Need for Export of Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste is defined by The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Changes “any material, excluding radioactive and domestic wastes, that because of its reactive, quantity and corrosive, toxic, ignitable, and infectious characteristics causes substantial hazards to human health or environment when improperly handled or manage, transported, stored and disposed of”.  According to the given definition, hazardous waste has an unbalanced chemical composition, which, if not treated scientifically or disposed of by taking proper measures, poses a severe threat to both environment and human health.

In India, it is recorded that around 51.1 MMT of waste is produced per year, among which around 7.46 MMT the hazardous and toxic waste is generated by estimated 43,936 industries. Therefore to regulate this much hazardous waste, the government enacted the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2008, which oversee and regulate the proper Hazardous Waste Management governed by The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) and State Pollution Control Board. These rules also mandate the Hazardous Waste Management Authorization.

Uses of Precious Metal Catalysts

Precious Metal Catalyst, because of its properties, have many uses, including the processing of Chemical, Petrochemical, Hydrocarbon and pharmaceutical for facilitating reactions, automotive exhaust systems, and catalytic abatement processes.

Process of Authorisation Required for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst

The registration relating to the Management and Regulation of hazardous waste, including the Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst, is prescribed under The Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. For authorisation exporter have to file an application under Form 5 with the justification for the activity and the additional documents, once these application and documents are reviewed by the authority the license for the export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst is granted.

Documents needed for export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst:

• Form 5 of Hazardous and Waste Rules, 2016.
• Justification for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst.
• Valid Authorization under Hazardous and other Waste Rules, 2016, if the actual user.
• Composition analysis of waste from lab recognized under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Insurance policy covering liability to health and environment during transit
• Acknowledgement for receipt of a copy of application from the concerned State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) or Pollution Control Committee (PCC)
• Document indicating the status of employment generation indicating the no. of people who benefitted
• Agreement copy between the stakeholders that is between the buyer and seller/importer and exporter
• Copy of the authorisation issued by this Ministry

Additional Licenses

Apart from acquiring authorisation under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 for export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst, the exporter also require number of other authorisations.

Authorisation from the Ministry for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, as per the provisions of The Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2016, act as nodal authority for a transboundary moment of Hazardous waste as well as export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst.

• Any manufacturer/trader wanting to export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst mentioned under Part A, and Part B of Schedule III/Schedule VI is required to submit an authorisation application as per Form 5 to The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change(MOEF and CC) along with a copy of insurance, for the projected transboundary movement of hazardous and other wastes (export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst), as well as if mandated under the act as per the nature of the waste the importing country's prior informed consent in writing.
• Once the application is attained by The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MOEF and CC) under sub-rule (1), it may grant consent for the anticipated export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst within sixty days of receiving the completed application and may enforce any regulations it feels applicable.
• In order to make sure that compliance with the regulations of the export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst authorisation, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MOEF & CC) shall forward a copy of the authorisation granted under sub-rule (2) of Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2016 to State Pollution Control Board of the concerned State where the waste is generated, the Pollution Control Board of the concerned State where the port of export is located, and the relevant Port and Customs authorities.
• Wherever possible, the exporter of the Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst must make sure that no shipment is shipped before receiving prior informed consent from the importing country’s government.
• The exporter of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst must also make sure that the current shipment is supplemented with the Form 6 movement paper.
• The exporter of the Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst is required to keep records in Form 3 of the Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst that he has shipped, and the data must be available for examination.

GST Certificate

Document required for GST Certificate

• Address proof
• PAN Card
• Aadhar Card of the applicant
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs authorised Incorporation Certificate
• Bank Details
• MOA (Memorandum of Association)
• AOA (Article of Association)

Trade license for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst

A trade license for the Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst is approved by Municipal Corporation, which is determined by the rules and regulations set by the state departments or authorities. The mandated documents are required for Trade licenses must be submitted along with the application.

Documents required for trade license

• Aadhaar card
• Address proof (can be either Electricity bill or water bill)
• MOA (Memorandum of Association)
• PAN
• CIN (Certification of incorporating) in case of Companies
• Recent municipal property tax receipt in case premises are owned and else lease document or consent letter of owner of the property where the export plant for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst is established is an authorisation.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) of the people living in the place near the export plant (nearby property owners)
• Layout plan/Site plan

Consent certificate for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst

The authorisation of Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst is governed by the Water and Air Act. Under the acts, the authorisation for consent NOC is provided in two stages first, when the industry is being established for which Consent to establish is given, and one, when the industry is established and is ready to operate for which consent to operate is granted.

Documents required for Consent to establish

According to Air and Water Act, for acquiring a Pollution Control License for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst, one has to submit the following documents: -

1. Land acquisition documents, including sale deed or registration/lease
2. Detailed Project Report is a must for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst that contains monetary division related to Pollution Control Measures, Break up of land used, Industrial process, and Flow chart of the Procedure, Control Equipment relating to Air Pollution, and Details for ETP and Solid Waste Management, Production of Waste Water. 
3. Layout Plan/Site Plan
4. GST Certificate
5. Aadhar Card
6. Copy of Self Declaration form for Restriction of Hazardous Waste

Documents required under Consent to Operate

According to Air and Water Act, for acquiring a Pollution Control License for Export of Cleaned Spent Precious Metal Bearing Catalyst, one has to submit the following documents:-

1. Electricity Bill
2. water bill
3. Pan Card
4. Aadhar Card
5. Proof of ownership and including rent agreement/lease agreement
6. Municipality/Industry license for trading business
7. Health Trade License
8. Site Plan/layout
9. CA Letter on the financial breakup
10. Goods and Services Tax certificate
11. Rule 14 of the Environmental (Protection) Act mandated Form V
12. Authorization Letter
13. Factory or Trade License
14. Proof of Registration of unit under Companies Act/LLP Act
15. Consent to establish a certificate