Overview
The objectives of this Directive (the IED) are to ensure high levels of environmental protection and the improvement of environmental quality through integrated pollution prevention and control, reducing harmful industrial emissions across the EU. To achieve this, the Directive places and enforces requirements on all industrial activities giving rise to pollution inside of the EU, in particular through better application of Best Available Techniques (BAT).
Essentially, this Directive lays down rules on integrated prevention and control of pollution arising from industrial activities. It also lays down rules designed to prevent or, where that is not
practicable, to reduce emissions into air, water and land and to
prevent the generation of waste, in order to achieve a high level
of protection of the environment taken as a whole.
The IED is based on several pillars, in particular an integrated approach, use of best available techniques, flexibility, inspections and public participation:
- The integrated approach means that the permits must take into account the whole environmental performance of the plant, covering e.g. emissions to air, water and land, generation of waste, use of raw materials, energy efficiency, noise, prevention of accidents, and restoration of the site upon closure.
- The permit conditions including emission limit values must be based on the Best Available Techniques (BAT). In order to define BAT and the BAT-associated environmental performance at EU level, the Commission organises an exchange of information with experts from Member States, industry and environmental organisations.
- The IED allows competent authorities some flexibility to set less strict emission limit values. This is possible only in specific cases where an assessment shows that achieving the emission levels associated with BAT described in the BAT conclusions would lead to disproportionately higher costs compared to the environmental benefits due to the geographical location or the local environmental conditions or the technical characteristics of the installation.
- The IED contains mandatory requirements on environmental inspections. Member States shall set up a system of environmental inspections and draw up inspection plans accordingly. The IED requires a site visit to take place at least every 1 to 3 years, using risk-based criteria.
- The IED ensures that the public has a right to participate in the decision-making process, and to be informed of its consequences, by having access to permit applications, permits and the results of the monitoring of releases.
