Circular No. 04/2025/TT-BTNMT dated February 28, 2025 on promulgating national technical regulation on the effluent of livestock

CIRCULAR

PROMULGATING NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON THE EFFLUENT OF LIVESTOCK

Pursuant to the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations dated June 29, 2006;

Pursuant to the Law on Environmental Protection dated November 17, 2020;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP dated January 10, 2022 on elaboration of several Articles of the Law on Environmental Protection and Government’s Decree No. 05/2025/ND-CP dated January 06, 2025 on amendments to certain Articles of the Government’s Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP dated January 10, 2022 on elaboration of several Articles of the Law on Environmental Protection;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 127/2007/ND-CP dated August 01, 2007 elaborating some Articles of the Law Standards and Technical Regulations and Government Decree No. 78/2018/ND-CP dated May 16, 2018 on amendments to certain Articles of the Government’s Decree No. 127/2007/ND-CP dated August 01, 2007 elaborating some Articles of the Law Standards and Technical Regulations;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 68/2022/ND-CP dated September 22, 2022 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;

At the request of the Director General of the Pollution Control Department, the Director General of the Department of Science and Technology;

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment hereby promulgates a Circular promulgating National technical regulation on the effluent of livestock.

Article 1. Promulgated together with this Circular is the National technical regulation on the effluent of livestock (QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT).

Article 2. Effect

1. This Circular comes into force from September 01, 2025.

2. The Circular No. 04/2016/TT-BTNMT dated April 29, 2016 of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment shall cease to have effect in accordance with the transitional clauses specified in Article 3 and the roadmap for application specified in Article 4 of this Circular.

3. From the effective date of this Circular, in case an effluent discharge zone has yet to be determined, Column B specified in Table 1 of QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT shall apply.

Article 3. Transitional clauses

1. Any livestock facility which has been put into operation or any livestock investment project which has been issued with the decision on approval of result of environmental impact assessment report appraisal or of which a sufficient and valid application for appraisal of environmental impact assessment report, issuance of environmental license or environmental registration has been received by the competent authority before the effective date of this Circular may continue to apply QCVN 62-MT:2016/BTNMT - National technical regulation on the effluent of livestock and regulations of the local government (including local environmental technical regulation on wastewater) until December 31, 2031.

2. In case a competent authority promulgates regulations on change of functions of receiving water bodies, the entities specified in clause 1 of this Article shall follow the roadmap prescribed by the competent authority upon promulgating the abovementioned regulations.

Article 4. Roadmap for application

1. From the effective date of this Circular, livestock investment projects (including new investment projects, projects on investment in scale expansion and capacity increase which submit applications for appraisal of environmental impact assessment report, issuance of environmental license or environmental registration after the effective date of this Circular) must apply the regulations enshrined in QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT.

2. As of January 01, 2032, the entities specified in clause 1 Article 3 of this Circular shall comply with the requirements specified under QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT.

3. The entities specified in clause 1 Article 3 of this Circular are encouraged to apply the regulations set out under QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT from the effective date of this Circular.

Article 5. Organizing implementation

1. Ministries, ministerial agencies, People’s Committees at all levels, Departments of Natural Resources and Environment of provinces and central-affiliated cities, and organizations and individuals concerned are responsible for the implementation of this Circular.

2. Difficulties that arise during the implementation of this Circular should be promptly reported in writing to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for consideration and resolution./.

QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON THE EFFLUENT OF LIVESTOCK

Foreword

QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT is developed by the Pollution Control Department, submitted by the Department of Science and Technology for approval; appraised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and promulgated by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment together with the Circular No. ……/2025/TT-BTNMT dated … (dd) … (mm), 2025.

QCVN 62:2025/BTNMT supersedes QCVN 62-MT:2016/BTNMT - National technical regulation on the effluent of livestock.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON THE EFFLUENT OF LIVESTOCK

1. GENERAL

1.1. Scope

This Regulation provides for permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the effluent of livestock when discharged into water receiving bodies.

1.2. Regulated entities

This Regulation applies to regulatory agencies, organizations and individuals (hereinafter referred to as “organizations and individuals”) related to the discharge of effluent of livestock into water receiving bodies.

1.3. Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the terms below shall be construed as follows:

1.3.1. Livestock facility means a place where domestic animals are raised or bred. Livestock facilities include livestock farms and family farms.

1.3.2. Livestock facility means a place where domestic animals are raised or bred.

1.3.3. Column A, Column B, Column C (effluent discharge zones) in Table 1 of this Regulation are prescribed as follows:

1.3.3.1. Column A specifies permissible limit values ​​of pollution parameters in effluent when discharged into water receiving bodies having the function of supplying water for domestic purposes or for the purpose of managing and improving water quality to satisfy the requirements of Level A in Table 2 and Table 3 QCVN 08:2023/BTNMT - National technical regulation on surface water quality or regulations of provincial People's Committees.

1.3.3.2. Column B specifies permissible limit values ​​of pollution parameters in effluent when discharged into water receiving bodies with the aim of managing and improving water quality to satisfy the requirements of Level B in Table 2 and Table 3 QCVN 08:2023/BTNMT - National technical regulation on surface water quality or regulations of provincial People's Committees.

1.3.3.3. Column C specifies permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the effluent of livestock when discharged into water receiving bodies not falling into the cases specified in 1.3.3.1 and 1.3.3.2 of this Regulation.

2. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

2.1. Permissible limits of pollution parameters in the livestock effluent of investment projects and livestock farms

Pursuant to the regulations in 1.3.3 of this Regulation, permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the investment projects and livestock farms’ livestock effluent when discharged into water receiving bodies are specified in Table 1.

Table 1. Permissible limit values of pollution parameters in livestock effluent of investment projects and livestock farms

2.2. Regulations on measures for treatment and management of livestock effluent of investment projects and family farms

2.2.1. Pursuant to the regulations in 1.3.3 of this Regulation, permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the investment projects and livestock farms’ livestock effluent when discharged into water receiving bodies shall satisfy the requirements set forth in Table 1 of this Regulation, except the case specified in 2.2.2 of this Regulation.

2.2.2. Investment projects and family farms shall, when discharging their effluent into water receiving bodies corresponding to Column B or Column C in Table 1 of this Regulation, may select one of the following measures for treatment or management of livestock effluent:

2.2.2.1. Treat the effluent in a manner that meets permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the livestock effluent corresponding to Column B or Column C in Table 1 of this Regulation.

2.2.2.2. Collect and transport effluent to the biogas equipment/plant or compost/sedimentation tank with a total effective capacity of at least 1.5 m3 per one (01) livestock unit. The biogas equipment/plant or compost/sedimentation tank must be waterproof and prevent effluent from leaking into soil.

3. DETERMINATION METHODS

3.1. Methods and techniques for sampling effluent and determining pollution parameters in livestock effluent are specified in the Appendix to this Regulation.

In case multiple different test (analysis) methods are used to test a pollution parameter and an arbitration method is needed to handle a dispute, complaint or lawsuit, the test method first listed in Column 3 of the Appendix to this Regulation shall be used.

3.2. Other test methods (not referred to in Column 3 in the Appendix to this Regulation), including: newly promulgated TCVN; national standard methods of one of the countries in the Group of Seven (G7), European Committee for Standardization (CEN/EN), Standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), member countries of the European Union, South Korea or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (SMEWW) may be accepted.

4. MANAGERIAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1. Pollution parameters and permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the investment projects and livestock facilities’ livestock effluent when discharged into water receiving bodies must be indicated in the Decision on approval for result of environmental impact assessment report appraisal, environmental license and environmental protection document. The environmental protection document must contain adequate information about one of the measures for treatment or management of livestock effluent specified in 2.2 of this Regulation.

4.2. The discharge of livestock effluent into a water receiving body will be assessed for compliance and conformance with this Regulation if the pollution parameter monitoring and analysis results do not exceed the permissible limit values ​​specified in Table 1 of this Regulation, except the case specified in 2.2.2.2 of this Regulation.

4.3. The method for assessing the compliance and conformance with this Regulation shall involve monitoring and analyzing samples of effluent before being discharged into water receiving bodies.

4.4. The monitoring of pollution parameters specified in Table 1 of this Regulation for the purpose of providing information and data to regulatory agencies must be carried out by an organization granted a Certificate of eligibility to provide environmental monitoring services in accordance with the law. The use of automatic and continuous effluent monitoring results shall be subject to regulations of law.

4.5. In case an investment project or family farm opts for effluent treatment using biogas equipment/plant or compost/sedimentation tank, the requirements set forth in 2.2.2.2 of this Regulation must be met.

4.6. The results of assessment of compliance and conformance with this Regulation shall serve as the basis for regulatory bodies to consider taking actions as prescribed by law.

4.7. When connecting livestock effluent to the system for collection and treatment of domestic and municipal wastewater, the regulations laid down by the investor, manager or operator of such system or by the local government must be satisfied.

4.8. When connecting livestock effluent to the system for collection and treatment of wastewater of a concentrated production, business and service area or industrial cluster, the regulations laid down by the investor in construction and commercial operation of infrastructure of the concentrated production, business and service area or industrial cluster must be satisfied.

4.9. Effluent generated from feeding operations of livestock and poultry slaughterhouses shall, when mixed together with effluent generated from slaughtering operations, be managed in the same manner as industrial effluent prescribed in QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent.

4.10. Domestic effluent shall, when mixed together with livestock effluent, be managed in the same manner as livestock effluent prescribed in this Regulation.

4.11. Livestock effluent shall, when mixed with industrial effluent, be managed in the same manner as industrial effluent prescribed in QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent.

5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

The investment project owner or livestock facility owner shall ensure that values of pollution parameters do not exceed the permissible limit values ​​specified in Table 1 of this Regulation or implement the effluent treatment or management measures specified in 2.2.2.2 of this Regulation in case of opting for effluent treatment using biogas equipment/plant or compost/sedimentation tank.

6. ORGANIZING IMPLEMENTATION

6.1. Each provincial People’s Committee shall review and adjust its promulgated local environmental technical regulation on the effluent of livestock in line with law, situation of local socio-economic development and this Regulation.

6.2. Environmental protection authorities shall provide guidance on and inspect the implementation of this Regulation.

6.3. In the cases where any of the documents and regulations referred to in this Regulation is amended or replaced, the newest one shall apply./.

Appendix

Methods and techniques for sampling effluent and determining pollution parameters in livestock effluent