Methodical approaches to estimating possibility and sufficiency of offsetting and redistributing emission quotas between economic entities when achieving targets of the Clean Air Federal Project

UDC: 
614
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2026.1.02.eng
Authors: 

I.V. May1, S.Yu. Zagorodnov1, S.Yu. Balashov1, К.V. Chetverkina1, А.А. Klyachin1, Yu.Е. Chizhova2

Organization: 

1Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies, 82 Monastyrskaya St., Perm 614045 Russian Federation
2Siberian Generating Company LLC, 53 Dubininskaya St. build. 5, Moscow 115054 Russian Federation

Abstract: 

Relevance of the present study comes from the necessity to choose the most effective and economically feasible ways to achieve emission quotas by enterprises, to reduce ambient air pollution and to fulfill performance indicators set within the Clean Air Federal Project.

The aim of this study was to test an estimation procedure per hygienic indicators using a specific example. The indicators included health risk levels, possibility and sufficiency of redistributing and offsetting emission quotas in a large industrial city.

The research object was represented by large heat power stations (HPS) located in a large industrial city. They suggested offsetting emission quotas by discounting emissions from 28 low-effective coal-fueled boiler houses, which were to be liquidated. HPS plan to modernize their own facilities to increase energy production capacity. We calculated dispersion of emissions from more than 20 thousand sources overall in the city under levels of ambient air pollution established in the baseline 2017 as well as under levels established after the required quotas were achieved. The latter calculation took into account the suggested quota redistribution per sources and liquidation of low-effective coal-fueled boiler houses with their capacities being moved to facilities belonging to large heat power stations.
Ambient air pollution was established to create unacceptable carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic acute and chronic health risks for the city population in the baseline 2017. The risk was assessed as ‘alerting’ and / or ‘high’ at various control points across the city. Contributions to unacceptable carcinogenic risks made by large energy-producing facilities and boiler houses to be liquidated reached 8.4 % in some areas in the city. The Project performance indicator, which is to reduce emissions of priority pollutants by not less than 20 %, is fulfilled after the set redistributed quotas have been achieved. Impacts of boiler houses, which were located diffusively across the city, have been eliminated completely (7.6 % of the achieved reduction). HPS have reduced their emissions by 12.6 % relative to 2017 due to relevant activities implemented at their facilities. When the required emission quotas are met, the analyzed facilities do not violate safe standards and do not create unacceptable health risks. In addition, spatial changes are observed in concentration fields. We have revealed a growth in a contribution made by a facility at the point of unacceptable health risks, mostly created by other pollution sources.

Offset and redistribution of emission quotas between pollution sources within one given settlement seems a feasible and effective instrument for achieving conformity with safe standards set for ambient air quality and acceptable health risk levels. The procedure for offsetting and redistributing quotas between pollution sources requires developing and fixing in regulatory, legal and methodical documents. A decision on quota offset and redistribution can be and should be made only after all relevant hygienic assessments have been completed, health risk assessment included.

It seems optimal to combine calculations and field data when verifying quota redistribution with the emphasis put on data obtained by instrumental measurements accomplished within environmental and social-hygienic monitoring.

Keywords: 
Clean Air Federal Project, emissions, quotas, offset procedure
May I.V., Zagorodnov S.Yu., Balashov S.Yu., Chetverkina K.V., Klyachin A.A., Chizhova Yu.E. Methodical approaches to estimating possibility and sufficiency of offsetting and redistributing emission quotas between economic entities when achieving targets of the Clean Air Federal Project. Health Risk Analysis, 2026, no. 1, pp. 18–29. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2026.1.02.eng
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Received: 
28.02.2026
Approved: 
24.03.2026
Accepted for publication: 
28.03.2026

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