| Production of Chlor‑alkali | CAK | Published |
This BREF focuses on the processes involved in the production of chlorine and caustic solutions by the electrolysis of brine and covers:
• the unloading and storage of salt
• the purification and resaturation of brine
• the different electrolytic processes
• the process engineering of caustic solution concentration, purification, storage and loading
• the process engineering of chlorine cooling, drying, purification and liquefaction before storage and
loading
• the process engineering of hydrogen cooling, purification and compression before storage and loading.
| Ceramic Manufacturing Industry | CAK | Published |
This BREF covers industrial installations for the manufacture of ceramic products by firing stoneware and porcelain.
This industrial sector encompasses a wide range of raw materials and manufacturing techniques, but all involve the selection of clays or other mainly inorganic materials which are processed, dried and fired. The major sectors which are based on the ceramic products manufactured are as follows:
• wall and floor tiles
• bricks and roof tiles
• table- and ornamentalware (household ceramics)
• refractory products
• sanitaryware
• technical ceramics
• vitrified clay pipes
• expanded clay aggregates
• inorganic bonded abrasives.
| Production of Cement, Lime and Magnesium Oxide | CLM | Published |
This BREF includes processes involved in the production of cement and lime. The main operations covered are:
• raw materials storage and preparation
• fuels storage and preparation
• kiln systems
• preparation and storage of products
• packing and dispatch.
| Common Waste Water and Waste Gas Treatment/Management Systems in the Chemical Sector | CWW | Published |
This BREF concerns the chemical industry and covers the following issues:
| Economics and Cross‑media Effects | ECM | Document formally adopted |
This document addresses methodologies that can provide assistance to both Technical Working Groups (TWGs) and permit writers when considering the environmental and economic conflicts that can occur when determining which techniques to implement under the IPPC regime. This document addresses some of the core principles of the Directive:
• general information on economics and cross-media effects. Some terminology used in the IPPC regime is
addressed
• a cross-media methodology is set out which allows the user to determine which alternative technique or
techniques that might be implemented under IPPC offers the highest level of protection for the
environment as a
whole. The document sets out a transparent methodology for balancing the trade-offs that may have to be
made in
determining which is the best environmental option
• a costing methodology is set out which allows users and decision-makers to establish and present the
costs of
implementing a technique in a transparent way
• some of the methods that can be used to balance economic costs against the environmental benefits are
addressed.
The concept of economic viability of the industrial sector implementing a technique or a set of
techniques
determined as BAT is also addressed.
| Emissions from Storage | EFS | Document formally adopted |
This BREF addresses the storage and the transfer/handling of liquids, liquefied gases and solids, regardless of the sector or industry. It addresses emissions to air, soil and water. However, most attention is given to emissions to air. Energy and noise are also addressed but to a lesser extent. In particular for the storage of liquids and liquefied gases, the following types of tanks are addressed:
• open top tank
• external floating roof tank
• fixed roof tank
• aboveground horizontal storage tanks (atmospheric)
• horizontal storage tanks (pressurised)
• vertical storage tanks (pressurised)
• spheres (pressurised)
• mounded storage tank (pressurised)
• lifter roof (variable vapour space) tank
• refrigerated storage tank
• underground storage tank.
In particular for the solids storage methods the following are addressed:
• heaps
• sacks and bulk bags
• silos and bunkers
• packaged dangerous solids.
The other storage modes addressed are:
• containers and the storage of containers
• basins and lagoons
• mined caverns
• salt leached caverns
• floating storage.
For the transfer and handling of liquids and liquefied gases, techniques such as piping systems and loading and unloading equipment are addressed, such as as valves, pumps, compressors, flanges and gaskets, etc. For the transfer and handling of solids, techniques such as mobile unloading devices, grabs, dump pits, fill pipes, thrower belts, conveyors and feeders are described, and in each case the emission sources are identified.
| Energy Efficiency | ENE | Document formally adopted |
This document addresses energy efficiency improvement in industrial installations by giving generic guidance on how to approach, assess, implement and deal with energy efficiency related issues along with corresponding permit and supervising procedures.
| Food, Drink and Milk Industries | FDM | Published |
This BREF addresses activities for the treatments and processes intended for the manufacture of food products from:
• animal raw materials (other than milk)
• vegetable raw materials, and
• treatment and processing of milk.
The scope includes the whole range of activities that may be found in European installations.
| Ferrous Metals Processing Industry | FMP | Published |
This BREF addresses ferrous metals processing, specifically the activities under points 2.3 (a,c) and 2.6 of Annex I to the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU:
The FMP BREF is related to the IS BREF but focuses on downstream processing of semi-finished iron and steel products. It covers rolling processes through which ingots, slabs, blooms and billets obtained from continuous or ingot casting are further transformed into a variety of steel products:
The FMP BREF also describes the processes involved in wire drawing, hot dip coating of sheets and wires and batch galvanising.
Overview of major processes
In hot rolling, the size, shape and metallurgical properties of the steel slabs, blooms, billets or ingots are changed by repeatedly compressing the hot metal as temperatures ranging from 1 050 °C to 1 300 °C between electrically powered rollers. Hot rolling mills usually comprise the following process steps:
In cold rolling, the properties of hot rolled strip products, e.g. thickness and mechanical characteristics, are changed by compression between rollers, without previous heating of the input. The processing steps and the sequence of processing in a cold rolling mill depends on the quality of the steel treated. Low-alloy and alloy steel (carbon steels) processing usually follows the order: pickling, rolling, annealing, temper rolling/skin pass rolling and finishing. For high-alloy steel (stainless steel) requires an initial annealing step prior to pickling.
In wire drawing, wire rods (produced in tot rolling mills) are reduced in size by drawing them through cone-shaped openings of a smaller cross section, so-called dies. A typical wire drawing process line comprises the following steps:
Continuous coating lines for sheets comprise the following steps:
Continuous wire galvanising plants involve the following steps:
Batch galvanising is a corrosion protection process in which iron and steel fabrications are protected from corrosion by coating them with zinc. The items to be coated in batch galvanising plants are very different steel fabrications, such as nails, screws; construction parts; structural components, tubes and many more. A batch galvanising plant essentially consists of a series of treatment or process baths. The steel is moved between tanks and dipped into the baths using overhead cranes. The following process steps are usually carried out:
| Manufacture of Glass | GLS | Published |
This BREF covers the industrial installations for the manufacture of glass including glass fibre and installations for melting mineral substances. It considers the different glass manufacturing industries and it is based on the products manufactured, but inevitably there is some overlap between them. The eight glass types covered are:
• container glass
• flat glass
• continuous filament glass fibre
• domestic glass
• special glass (without water glass)
• mineral wool (with two subsectors-glass wool and stone wool)
• high tempertaure insulation wools
• frits.
| Industrial Cooling Systems | ICS | Document formally adopted |
This BREF addresses the following industrial cooling systems or configurations:
• once-through cooling systems (with or without cooling towers)
• open recirculating cooling systems (wet cooling towers)
• closed circuit cooling systems air-cooled cooling systems
• closed circuit wet cooling systems
• combined wet/dry (hybrid) cooling systems
• open hybrid cooling towers.
| Intensive Rearing of Poultry or Pigs | IRPP | Published |
This BREF addresses installations for the intensive rearing of poultry or pigs. Poultry is identified for the purpose of this BREF as chicken laying hens and broilers, turkeys, ducks or guinea fowls. The following relevant farm activities are described, although it is acknowledged that not all of the activities will be found on every farm:
• farm management (including maintenance and cleaning of equipment)
• feeding strategy (and feed preparation)
• rearing of animals
• collection and storage of manure
• on-site treatment of manure
• landspreading of manure
• waste water treatment.
| Iron and Steel Production | IS | Published |
This BREF covers the processes involved in the production of iron and steel in an integrated works as well as the production of steel in electric arc furnace steelworks. The main operations covered are:
• loading, unloading and handling of bulk raw materials
• blending and mixing of raw materials
• coke production
• sintering and pelletisation of iron ore
• the production of molten iron by the blast furnace route, including slag processing
• the production and refining of steel using the basic oxygen process, including upstream ladle
desulphurisation, downstream ladle metallurgy and slag processing
• the production of steel by electric arc furnaces, including downstream ladle metallurgy and slag
processing
• continuous casting.
Other downstream metal processing activities can be found in other BREF documents (e.g. see Ferrous Metals Processing Industry, Smitheries and Foundries Industry BREFs).
| Landfills | LAN | Drawing up started |
This BREF covers landfills, as defined in Article 2(g) of Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste, receiving more than 10 tonnes of waste per day or with a total capacity exceeding 25 000 tonnes, excluding landfills of inert waste.
The activity is specified in point 5.4 of Annex I to the revised Industrial Emissions Directive (IED
2.0).
| Large Combustion Plants | LCP | Published |
This BREF deals with combustion installations with a rated thermal input exceeding 50 MW. Plants with a thermal input lower than 50 MW are, however, discussed where technically relevant because smaller units can potentially be added to a plant to build one larger installation exceeding 50 MW.
All kinds of conventional power plants (e.g. utility boiler plants, combined heat and power plants, district heating plants) used for mechanical power and heat generation are covered in this work. Industrial combustion installations are covered if they use conventional fuel. The commercial availability of the fuel on the market has been used as an indicator to identify conventional fuels. The criterion for classifying a fuel as a 'conventional fuel' is a known composition which remains relatively constant, and indeed is usually standardised. Coal, lignite, biomass, peat, liquid and gaseous fuels (including hydrogen and biogas) are regarded as conventional fuels. The use of waste as a secondary fuel is also covered in this work.
| Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals | LVIC | Drawing up started |
The drawing up of this BREF under the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (IED) will concern activities of the large volume inorganic chemical industry.
The precise scope of the LVIC BREF (e.g. in terms of chemical sub-sectors/products/processes to be covered) has not yet been defined. However, the BREF is meant to address key environmental issues associated with, in particular, the range of activities so far referred to in the reference documents on:
To this end, the draw up of the LVIC BREF will involve:
| Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals – Ammonia, Acids and Fertilisers | LVIC‑AAF | Document formally adopted |
This BREF covers the production of ammonia, acids and fertilisers where large volumes of the specified inorganic compounds are produced. Generally, the ammonia and acid processes covered here are considered to have the following feature: the products from the processes are not consumer products in their own right, but are basic chemicals that are then used in large quantities or as raw materials in the production of other chemicals. NPK, AN/CAN, superphosphates or urea fertilisers, however, are produced primarily for a particular user although the production of these other chemicals are also carried out in dedicated continuously operating plants. This BREF covers substances such as:
• ammonia
• nitric acid
• sulphuric acid
• phosphoric acid
• hydrofluoric acid
• NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) fertilisers – nitrophosphate and mixed acid route
• urea, urea ammonium nitrate
• ammonium nitrate/calcium ammonium nitrate (AN/CAN)
• superphosphates.
| Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals – Solids and Others Industry | LVIC‑S | Document formally adopted |
This BREF covers chemical installations for the production of basic inorganic chemicals, which are:
• soda ash (sodium carbonate, including sodium bicarbonate)
• titanium dioxide (chloride and sulphate process routes)
• carbon black (rubber and speciality grades)
• synthetic amorphous silica (pyrogenic silica, precipitated silica, and silica gel)
• inorganic phosphates (detergent, food and feed phosphates).
Other selected illustrative products (or groups of products) are addressed at a lesser level of detail and they are:
• aluminium fluoride
• calcium carbide
• carbon disulphide
• ferrous chloride
• copperas and related products
• lead oxide
• magnesium compounds
• sodium silicate
• silicon carbide
• zeolites
• calcium chloride
• precipitated calcium carbonate
• sodium chlorate
• sodium perborate
• sodium percarbonate
• sodium sulphite
• zinc oxide.
| Production of Large Volume Organic Chemicals | LVOC | Published |
This BREF covers the manufacture of organic chemicals produced in large volumes. LVOC processes are considered to have the following features:
• the products are rarely consumer products in their own right, but are basic chemicals that are used in
large
quantities as raw materials in the
synthesis of other chemicals
• production takes place in continuously operating plants
• products are not produced in a range of formulations or compositions (grades)
• products have relatively low added value
• the product specifications are defined to allow a wide range of applications (as compared, for
example, with
‘fine’ chemicals).
General principles of management systems, unit processes, unit operations and infrastructures that are valid for all LVOC production processes are included in this BREF. It also contains generic product groups that are linked by common chemistry or production techniques. Finally, it contains specific information on the manufacture of a small number of selected ‘illustrative processes’:
• lower olefins by the cracking process
• aromatics such as benzene/toluene/xylene (BTX)
• oxygenated compounds such as ethylene oxide, ethylene glycols and formaldehyde
• nitrogenated compounds such as acrylonitrile and toluene diisocyanate
• halogenated compounds such as ethylene dichloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM)
• sulphur and phosphorus compounds
• organo-metallic compounds.
| Mining (extraction) of ores | MIN | Drawing up started |
This BREF covers the extraction of ores on an industrial scale including on-site treatment operations, such as comminution, size control, beneficiation and upgrading. The ores concerned are bauxite, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, nickel, palladium, platinum, tin, tungsten and zinc.
The activity is specified in point 3.6 of Annex I to the revised Industrial Emissions Directive (IED 2.0).
| Non‑ferrous Metals Industries | NFM | Published |
This BREF covers the techniques for the production of both primary and secondary non-ferrous metals. In particular, eight groups of metals with similar production methods are dealt with in more detail in the document:
• Copper
• Aluminium
• Lead and/or Tin
• Zinc and/or Cadmium
• Precious metals
• Ferro-alloys
• Nickel and/or Cobalt
• Carbon and graphite electrodes. The production of carbon and graphite anodes is included because of
the
production of anodes at some aluminium smelters as an integral part of the production process.
| Manufacture of Organic Fine Chemicals | OFC | Document formally adopted |
This BREF focuses on the batch manufacture of organic chemicals in multipurpose plants and addresses the manufacture of a wide range of organic chemicals. Some production sites may also include dedicated production lines for larger volume products with batch, semi-batch or continuous operation. The list is not exaustive but includes for example:
• dyes and pigments
• plant health products and biocides
• pharmaceutical products (chemical and biological processes)
• organic explosives
• organic intermediates
• specialised surfactants
• flavours and fragrances
• pheromones
• plasticisers
• vitamins
• optical brighteners
• flame-retardants.
| Production of Batteries in Giga‑Factories | PBG | Drawing‑up to start |
This is a new BREF which is drawn up within the framework of the implementation of the revised Industrial Emissions Directive (IED 2.0) and concerns the activity specified in point 2.7 of Annex I to the amended IED, namely:
2.7. Manufacture of batteries, other than exclusively assembling, with a production capacity of 15 000 tonnes
of battery cells (cathode, anode, electrolyte, separator, capsule) or more per year.
| Production of Polymers | POL | Document formally adopted |
This BREF focuses on the production of polymeric materials in plants on an industrial scale such as:
• basic plastic materials (synthetic fibres and cellulose-based fibres)
• synthetic rubbers
• hydrocarbons containing oxygen such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters,
acetates,
ethers, peroxides, epoxy resins.
An enormous variety of produced substances are covered by this BREF. Therefore, the document describes the production of polymers selected according to production volume and potential environmental impact of their manufacture as well as the availability of data. The BREF deals with environmentally relevant unit processes and unit operations as well as with the usual infrastructure found on a typical site. It provides general guidance for the early stages of process design. The document mainly deals with process modifications, plant operation and maintenance, and especially with the management of unavoidable waste streams.
| Production of Pulp, Paper and Board | PP | Published |
This BREF covers the processes involved in the production of pulp and paper in integrated pulp and paper mills as well as for non-integrated pulp mills (market pulp) and non-integrated papermills using purchased pulp for paper production. The main operations covered are:
• chemical pulping
• kraft (sulphate) pulping
• sulphite pulping
• mechanical and chemi-mechanical pulping
• recovered paper processing with and without de-inking
• papermaking and related processes
| Refining of Mineral Oil and Gas | REF | Published |
This BREF addresses the mineral oil refining industry as well as natural gas plants. Other related activities such as exploration, production, transportation or marketing of products are not included in this BREF.
All types of mineral oil refineries regardless of capacity and all types of process activities typically found in this sector are covered in this document. Some activities that are or may be found in refineries are not covered in the document because they are covered in other BREFs (e.g. low olefins and solvent production, generation of power with natural gas). Other activities are not fully covered because they are partially covered in other BREFs (e.g. cooling, storage, waste water and waste gas). Thus, when implementing IPPC permits for a specific site, other BREFs should also be considered. Soil remediation is not included in this BREF because it is not a contamination prevention or control technique.
| Monitoring of Emissions to Air and Water from IED Installations | ROM | Published |
The monitoring of emissions to air and water represents an important element in preventing and reducing pollution from industrial installations and in ensuring a high level of protection of the environment taken as a whole. Therefore, the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (IED) addresses the monitoring of emissions in a number of instances.
This JRC Reference Report on Monitoring (ROM) summarises information on the monitoring of emissions to air and water from IED installations, thereby providing practical guidance for the application of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) conclusions on monitoring in order to help competent authorities to define monitoring requirements in the permits of IED installations.
Moreover, the information and recommendations provided by this document may help the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) to derive BAT conclusions during the drawing up and review of BAT Reference documents (BREFs).
| Slaughterhouses, Animal By‑products and/or Edible Co‑products Industries | SA | Published |
This BREF addresses the slaughter of all animals that might contribute to a significant output for an installation. The 'slaughter' activity is considered to end with the making of standard cuts for large animals and the production of a clean whole saleable carcase for poultry. Directly associated activities of the slaughter process are also included.
The disposal and recycling of animal carcases and animal waste is also addressed in this BREF. The animal by-products activities covered include treatments for entire bodies or parts of animals and those for products of animal origin. These activities include treatments of animal by-products both intended and not intended for human consumption. A wide range of by-products activities are covered. These include fat melting; rendering; fish-meal and fish-oil production; bone processing; blood processing associated with slaughterhouses and to the degree where the blood becomes a material for use in the preparation of another product. The dedicated incineration of carcases, parts thereof, meat, bond-meat and burning of tallow, are covered principally as routes for disposal. Land spreading; land injection; biogas production; composting; preservation of hides and skins for tannery use in slaughterhouses; and gelatine manufacture are also covered. Landfill is not covered, except when mentioned as a route for disposal.
| Smitheries and Foundries Industry | SF | Published |
This BREF addresses processes in smitheries and foundries, specifically the activities under points 2.3 (b), 2.4 and 2.5 (b) of Annex I to the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU:
The SF BREF covers continuous casting processes in ferrous metal foundries for the production of grey or nodular iron castings at or near their final shape. It also includes non-ferrous metal foundries using alloyed ingots, internal scrap, recovered products (e.g. external scrap) or liquid metal for the production of castings at or near their final shape.
Overview of major processes
Smithery processes include:
Foundry processes include:
| Production of Speciality Inorganic Chemicals | SIC | Document formally adopted |
This BREF covers the chemical installations for the production of speciality inorganic chemicals such as:
• speciality inorganic pigments
• silicones
• phosphorus compounds (PCl3, POCl3, PCl5)
• inorganic explosives
• cyanides (NaCN, KCN)
• soluble inorganic salts of nickel (sulphate, chloride, carbonate and nitrate).
| Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics | STM | Review started |
This BREF includes installations for the surface treatment of metals and plastics using an electrolytic or chemical process. Many installations operate a mixture of small and large production lines, and a mixture of electrolytic and chemical processes, as well as associated activities. Thus all processes, irrespective of the scale on which they are carried out, were considered in the information exchange. In practical terms, the electrolytic and chemical processes currently used are water-based. Directly associated activities are also described.
| Surface Treatment Using Organic Solvents incl. Wood Preservation | STS | Published |
This BREF addresses installations for the surface treatment of substances, objects or products using organic solvents, in particular for dressing, printing, coating, degreasing, waterproofing, sizing, painting, cleaning or impregnating. The activities addressed are:
• printing (by heatset web offset, flexography and packaging gravure, publication gravure)
• painting and other coating activities (winding wires, cars, trucks, buses, trains, agricultural and
construction equipment, ships and yachts, aircraft, wood and mirrors, furniture, metal coil, metal
packaging,
and other metal and plastic goods)
• waterproofing (by painting and wood preservation)
• adhesive application (in the manufacture of abrasives and adhesive tapes)
• cleaning and degreasing in conjunction with other surface treatment activities
• impregnation for the preservation of wood.
| Tanning of Hides and Skins | TAN | Published |
This BREF addresses installations for the tanning of hides and skins with a treatment capacity exceeding 12 tonnes of finished products per day. The activity is included under point 6.3 of Annex I to the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (IED). The types of hides and skins are restricted to those of ovine and bovine origin because the production capacities for any other type of raw material for the production of leather and furs are far below the threshold value given in the Directive.
| Textiles Industry | TXT | Published |
This BREF addresses installations for the pretreatment (operations such as washing, bleaching, mercerisation) or dyeing of fibres or textiles. Particular attention is given to the following processes:
• fibre preparation
• pretreatment
• dyeing
• printing
• finishing.
Upstream processes which may have a significant influence on the environmental impact of the subsequent wet processing activities are also briefly described. The backing of carpets is also included.
All main textile fibre types, namely natural fibres, man-made fibres derived from natural polymers such as viscose and cellulose acetate as well as man-made fibres derived from synthetic polymers are described, including their blends.
| Wood‑based Panels Production | WBP | Published |
This BREF addresses installations for the production of wood-based panels. Wood-based panels includes particleboard, oriented strand board and fibreboards, where the latter includes products produced in a wet or dry process.The following relevant activities are described, although it is acknowledged that not all if the activities will take place on every site.
| Common Waste Gas Management and Treatment Systems in the Chemical Sector | WGC | Published |
This BREF concerns the chemical industry and covers the management and treatment of channelled and diffuse emissions to air arising from a variety of sources associated with chemical production processes listed in points 4.1 to 4.6 of Annex I to the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (IED).
This BREF specifically addresses channelled and diffuse emissions to air from the production of polymers (i.e. polyolefins, PVC and viscose) and synthetic rubbers.
This BREF is part of the series of reference documents concerning the chemical industry, which are already adopted by the European Commission under the framework of the IED:
| Waste Incineration | WI | Published |
This BREF covers the incineration or co-incineration of waste, including municipal waste, other non-hazardous waste, sewage sludge, hazardous waste and clinical waste.
This BREF, besides traditional incineration processes, also describes pyrolysis and gasification processes.
In addition to the thermal treatment stage, this BREF also covers:
• the reception, handling and storage of waste;
• some waste pre-treatment techniques along with their influence on the ensuing incineration process;
• emissions to air and applied techniques for flue-gas cleaning;
• applied techniques for the treatment of incinerator bottom ashes and the recovery of useful materials from bottom ashes;
• emissions to water and the treatment of waste water originating from wet flue-gas cleaning or from bottom ash treatment;
• the recovery of energy from the incineration process.
Other waste treatment methods are addressed in the BREF for Waste Treatment.
| Waste Treatment | WT | Published |
This BREF covers the installations of a number of waste (hazardous and non-hazardous) treatments, and deals with:
• common waste treatments such as the temporary storage of waste, blending and mixing, repackaging, waste
reception, sampling, checking and analysis, waste transfer and handling installations, and waste
transfer
stations
• biological treatments of waste such as aerobic/anaerobic treatments and mechanical and biological
treatments
• physico-chemical treatments of waste such as neutralisation, chromic acid and cyanide treatments,
dewatering,
filtration, harbour reception facilities, oil/water separation, precipitation, separation of mercury
from waste,
settlement, solidification and stabilisation, and UV and ozone treatments
• treatments to recover mainly waste material such as the reconcentration of acids and bases, the
recovery of
metals from liquid and solid photographic waste, the regeneration of organic solvents and spent ion
exchange
resins, and the re-refining of waste oils
• treatments to produce mainly solid and liquid fuels from hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
Generally, this BREF does not cover landfills. The incineration of waste is covered in the Waste Incineration BREF.