Anaerobic Digestion Capacity >75 tonnes per day will be subject to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) from 2015
Anaerobic Digestion Capacity >75 tonnes per day will be subject to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) from 2015. A review of EU industrial pollution guidance for waste treatment plants has begun.
- The existing technical reference document (BREF) was adopted by the European Commission in 2006.
- It outlines the best available techniques (BAT) and associated emission levels that EU waste installations should follow.
The European IPPC Bureau, which coordinates BREF development, confirmed that the revised document will include disposal or recovery of hazardous and non-hazardous waste (both solid and liquid) involving mechanical, biological or physico-chemical treatment.
- Biological treatment plants with a capacity of more than 75 tonnes per day, or 100t/day if they only involve anaerobic digestion, will be subject to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) from 2015.
- This includes pre-treatment before further use.
- But it will not include smelting of scrap metal, remediation of unexcavated contaminated soil, landfill, underground permanent and long-term storage or underground recovery, surface impoundment, pyrolysis or gasification.
The new BREF waste treatment plants will cover the generic waste treatment process, including loading, unloading, temporary storage and handling of waste, blending and mixing of waste. It will also consider general techniques to prevent or reduce emissions to water.
All BREFs cover generic issues such as environmental management systems. Waste incineration is covered by a separate but related BREF, the review process for which begins next year.
- Member states were due to have submitted a list of well-performing waste treatment plants, which will take part in data collection, by 31 January 2014.
- In March 2014, the IPPC Bureau will release a detailed questionnaire.
- The revised guidance document is expected to be adopted in 2016.
- Plants will then have four years to implement all necessary changes.
Source: ENDS Europe