What is the IPPC directive and what are exactly BAT and BREF?
The IPPC directive (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) from the European Union has the aim to guarantee that all concerned industries control, limit and improve their impact on environment. To achieve this, European experts (from European Commission, Member States, Accession Countries, Environmental Associations, Industry and Industrial Associations) have set up Best Available Techniques (BAT) for the protection of the Environment as a whole which describe the best way to produce a chemical within economically affordable conditions. From these BATs the so-called and more specific BREF (Bat REFerence ) documents have been derived for many industrial processes, including soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, lime or waste incineration. A plant manufacturing products and operating according to its BAT (i.e. have emission limits in their permit in accordance the BAT emission levels) is therefore objectively recognized as being environmentally sustainable.
