What Are the Different Types of BREF?

The Industrial Emissions Directive was introduced in 2011 (and transposed into national law by EU member states by 2013) as a means of controlling and reducing the amounts of harmful contaminants like sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and dust emitted by industrial sources.

Given that the IED covers a wide range of sectors, it’s necessary to delineate the specific thresholds of emissions that are deemed allowable in each individual industry. To do this, the EU has implemented Best Available Techniques (BATs), using them to arrive at BAT-associated emissions levels (BAT-AELS). These BAT-AELS are listed in BREFs, or Best available technique REFerence documents.

Below is a list of the different types of BREF that have introduced into EU law under the IED to date, divided into those that have been formally adopted (and therefore made legally binding), those which have been published and those which are currently undergoing review.

The following BREFs have been formally adopted and incorporated into EU law:

• Economics and Cross-media Effects
• Emissions from Storage
• Energy Efficiency
• Ferrous Metals Processing Industry
• Industrial Cooling Systems
• Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals – Ammonia, Acids and Fertilisers
• Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals – Solids and Others Industry
• Production of Polymers
• Production of Specialty Inorganic Chemicals
• Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics

The following BREFs have been published:

• Common Wastewater and Waste Gas Treatment/Management Systems in the Chemical Sector
• Food, Drink and Milk Industries
• Intensive Rearing of Poultry or Pigs
• Iron and Steel Production
• Large Combustion Plants
• Manufacture of Glass
• Monitoring of Emissions to Air and Water from IED Installations
• Non-ferrous Metals Industries
• Production of Cement, Lime and Magnesium Oxide
• Production of Chlor-alkali
• Production of Large Volume Organic Chemicals
• Production of Pulp, Paper and Board
• Refining of Mineral Oil and Gas
• Surface Treatment Using Organic Solvents including Wood and Wood Products Preservation with Chemicals
• Tanning of Hides and Skins
• Waste Incineration
• Waste Treatment
• Wood-based Panels Production

The following BREFs are under review:

• Ceramic Manufacturing Industry
• Common Waste Gas Treatment in the Chemical Sector
• Slaughterhouse and Animal By-Products Industries
• Smitheries and Foundries Industry
• Textiles Industry

Each of the above BREFs contains maximum legal thresholds for various contaminants as defined by Best Available Technique-Associated Emissions Levels (BAT-AELS). It also contains information about how plants must introduce monitoring mechanisms to document and guarantee their compliance. More information about one such example can be viewed in the article The European Union’s Large Combustion Plant BREF – Monitoring and Compliance Requirements.