Industrial emissions

The EEB's position

EEB welcomes in general a targeted attempt to address weaknesses in IPPC: in particular clarifications to the permitting and other procedures that could strengthen the role of the BREF benchmark of best available techniques.

However EEB has concerns regarding provisions that are not sufficiently ambitious to deliver air quality targets, that jeopardise public participation and that weaken existing monitoring requirements for waste incinerators.

EEB’s position (May 2008) on key elements of the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Industrial Emissions can be found here.

Some industry lobby groups raised concerns on the relationship between the Best Available Technique associated emission levels (BATael) and Emission Limit Values (ELVs). An EEB paper addresses these concerns and concludes that considerable flexibility is retained in the proposed Directive on Industrial Emissions. Furthermore EEB considers that the integrated approach is clearly maintained in the new proposal, contrary to the claims of industry. The position paper can be found here.

The Industrial Emissions Directive needs teeth to address industrial pollution and to play its role in delivering on European objectives to protect out air, water and soils from further degradation. EEB urges Members of Parliament to take an objective look at the costs and benefits of implementing technologies to prevent and control industrial pollution, and to vote on the side of human health and the environment. To find out how a particular Member of European Parliament voted in first reading please here.

For that purpose EEB produced a short publication in December 2008 providing information on key issues under discussion, including the use of BAT in permitting, the (European) Safety net, emission limit values for large combustion plants and cement installations, inspection regimes, protecting soils and intensive farming.

A Push for Cleaner Industrial Production provides key information on the associated environmental impacts, and where available, presents data on costs and benefits of the proposed changes.

EEB produced a detailed briefing before the tabling of amendment for the upcoming second reading ENVI vote highlighting the following elements:

  • Derogations from BAT (art 15.4)
  • Extension of the European Safety Net (first reading position of EP)
  •  Issues relating to Large Combustion Plants (derogations, 20-50MW threshold, special rules for refineries, compliance)
  • Soil and groundwater protection
  • Monitoring of pollutants from waste incineration
  • Legal clarification on GHG emissions from IPPC installations

The detailed briefing can be found here.

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