What You Need to Know
The Cabinet of Mauritius has approved the Environment (Standards for Ambient Air Quality and Stack Emission) Regulations 2026, establishing new air quality and emissions standards. These regulations aim to safeguard public health by setting limits on pollutants and empowering the Ministry of Environment to enforce compliance among industries and incinerators.
Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Environment (Standards for Ambient Air Quality and Stack Emission) Regulations 2026, which provide for three environmental air standards, namely the Environmental Standards for Ambient Air Quality, the Environmental Standards for Stack Emissions, and the Environmental Standards for Incinerator Stack Emissions, will be promulgated.
The Environmental Standards for Ambient Air Quality will be used as benchmark on the maximum allowable limits of pollutants in the ambient air quality to safeguard public health and the environment.
As for the Environmental Standards for Stack Emissions, they set out new parameters such as dioxins and furans, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds and mercury that will be regulated in addition to the existing parameters. In this regard, the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change will be empowered to request a factory to take any air pollution abatement measures deemed appropriate, where the limit of any pollutant is being exceeded.
Concerning the Environmental Standards for Incinerator Stack Emissions, new provision is being made to regulate emissions from incinerators burning solid wastes, medical wastes and dead body (at crematoria). Incinerators will thus be required to operate at an optimum temperature of 1,100ºC to prevent the release of dioxins and furans. These dioxins and furans are extremely hazardous for public health and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and cause cancer.
Moreover, the Environment (Standards for Ambient Air Quality and Stack Emission) Regulations 2026 make provision for a moratorium to be extended to any public department to be in compliance with the environmental standards, where it is in the national interest to do so. Additionally, the Regulations make provision to grant industries a six-month’s compliance period to meet the new air standards.
Mauritius has been increasingly aware of the need for stringent environmental regulations due to rising pollution levels and public health concerns. The introduction of the Environment (Standards for Ambient Air Quality and Stack Emission) Regulations 2026 marks a significant step towards improving air quality and managing emissions from various sources, including industrial facilities and waste incinerators. These regulations reflect a growing commitment to environmental protection and public health in the face of industrialization and urbanization.
