Methodology for selection of best available techniques (BAT) at the sector level

Best Available Techniques (BAT) are an essential reference element in the establishment of permit conditions for industrial installations in the European Union and elsewhere. BAT are the techniques with the lowest impact on the environment without compromising the economic health of the (industrial) enterprises concerned. BAT can be selected at the plant level but in many European regions, including the Flanders region of Belgium, BAT need to be determined at the sector level. BAT evaluation is usually done by expert judgement. Here, a methodology is described that allows expert judgement in a straightforward and transparent way. Central to this methodology are scores given on technical feasibility, on cross media environmental performances and on economic feasibility. The practicality of this approach was shown in 10 BAT studies of which 2 are discussed in more detail here.     

稻谷深加工产业应注意的大气环境影响问题及对策分析研究

随着国民经济的发展,中国稻谷深加工企业在各地陆续涌现,稻谷加工业作为食品工业的基础性行业,与人们的生活密切相关,通过加大对稻谷副产品淀粉、米糠、稻壳等的深加工,既发展了粮油经济、延伸了产业链条,也增加了经济收益,但与此同时也存在着一定的环境问题,多集中在对环境空气的影响方面如稻壳灰污染周边环境等,因此应重视稻谷加工生产环节所带来的环境影响,以积极的治理措施去应对.以稻谷深加工典型工艺为例,对工艺环节中主要存在的大气环境问题及治理措施进行探讨,在发展稻谷深加工产业的同时应重视产生的环境影响并采取相应的治理措施,减少稻谷深加工产业发展带来负面的环境问题.     

Evaluation of the implementation of best available techniques in IPPC context: an environmental performance indicators approach

In this paper an integrated methodological approach is presented for the evaluation of the implementation of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) in facilities operated under Integrated Prevention Pollution and Control (IPPC) Directive, based on the development and application of a set of sub-indices. An aggregated form of sub-indices that could be used as a composite IPPC facility index is proposed. A sector specific index can be derived from facilities composite indices.This approach uses environmental performance data from European Polluting Emissions Register (EPER) reports, environmental permits and BAT Reference Documents, and gives a coherent and interesting picture of the degree of BAT implementation and an indication of IPPC obligations fulfilment.A specific application is demonstrated concerning the paper manufacturing sector in Greece. It is concluded for this sector that there is a measurable discrepancy from the BAT fulfilment obligations and that the most problematic sub-indices are the “Releases to Water” and “Releases to Air”.     

Analysis of the benefits and challenges of implementing environmental regulatory programmes for mining: Tanzania case study

All mining activities in Tanzania are regulated according to the Mining Act, 1998, and associated regulations. The enactment of the 1998 mining legislation and thus the repeal of the 1979 Act was a result of the overall restructuring of the country's economy. In order to encourage the private sector to take a leading role in economic development, the Government identified priority segments of the economy, which included the mining sector. With the mining sector identified as one of the priority sectors, it was thought imperative to put in place a transparent and competitive legal and regulatory framework, an effective and conducive fiscal regime, and an environmental framework. A new Mining Act, which incorporated the mining legal and regulatory, fiscal and environmental frameworks, was enacted in August 1998. The Act was then equipped with the regulations which provide clear guidance for administration and enforcement.Since the enactment of Tanzania's new mining legislation, the mineral sector has been the fastest growing sector of the economy, which has posed numerous managerial challenges. This paper discusses the benefits of the current environmental legislation and the challenges facing the Government in meeting the demands of a rapidly expanding mining sector. The paper examines the institutional set-up, its capacity to execute tasks (financial, technical, working facilities, etc.), the roles played by related institutions in managing the mining sector, and the interaction between mining and other sectors of the economy.     

Adapting the European approach of Best Available Techniques: case studies from Chile and China

Best Available Techniques (BAT) are an essential element in European environmental legislation as required by the Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC 96/61/EG). The technology transfer to industrialising countries, however, requires the adaptation of the underlying criteria, due to differences in economic, legal and technical conditions. Additionally, their prevailing technology standards and different priorities concerning the affected environmental media (air, soil, water) must also be considered. At hand of case studies for VOC emission reduction and prevention for coating applications in Chile, China and Germany, the use of a metric for country-specific determination of BAT is proposed.     

Incentives and barriers to environmental inequality mobilization: A case-study analysis in Wallonia,Belgium

Environmental inequality scholarship has sought to shed light on the unequal environmental conditions borne by poor people and racial minorities, and to challenge public policies. Most studies are concerned either with assessing the unequal distribution of environmental amenities and disamenities or with exploring the theoretical foundations of environmental justice movements.We propose an original approach to environmental inequality, focused not only on the unequal distribution of environmental burdens but also on two other types of factors: the capacity to mobilize and engage in community organizations on the one hand and the spatial dimension of environmental inequalities on the other.The evidence for this study is from an opinion survey carried out in 2012 with 1298 individuals. We use a two-step cluster analysis method to compute a classification system based on four categories of variables: socio-economic, environmental, spatial, and social capital.     

Drivers,barriers and incentives to implementing environmental management systems in the food industry: A case of Lebanon

The shift in policy towards prevention and towards making producers responsible for the pollution they cause has lead corporations to limit environmental liabilities through the improvement of environmental performance. The implementation of an Environmental Management System integrates the precautionary and polluter pays principles into a firm's operations and demonstrates commitment to sustainable development. This research aims at assessing the factors influencing the implementation of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System in developing countries taking the Food Industry in Lebanon as a case example. For this purpose, primary data were collected using a field survey questionnaire that was administered to a representative sample of facilities. The results revealed that the food industry is generally more concerned with safety and quality issues rather than environmental issues. Following international food sector trend, improving environmental performance and enhancing company image are the most salient drivers to adopt ISO 14001. The lack of government support and stakeholder demand as well as the fact that ISO 14001 is not a legal requirement constitute the most salient factors hindering the adoption of the standard. Economical and organizational factors are the most significant incentives required to motivate the food industry to adopt ISO 14001. The industry is less likely to voluntarily consider adopting ISO 14001 before acquiring a quality management certification or until ISO 14001 certification gain more recognition in the international food sector. The study defines the foundations for developing strategies, policy reforms and incentive schemes to reduce the barriers of implementing ISO 14001.     

人体需要经常补硒

从硒的生物学作用和防治疾病等方面剖析了硒与人体健康的关系；从元素地球化学、生物地球化学和化学地理等方面探讨了我国缺硒区的形成、分布和等级的划分；从环境地球化学物质场和元素生物地球化学营养链等方面．阐明了作物、禽畜和人体缺硒的原因、危害及其人体补硒的途径和方法，提出了在缺硒区运用元素生物地球化学营养链营养结构模式的原理、和技术方法，从土壤中获取富硒有机食品，供居民食用，是进行食物补硒、提高人体摄硒量、提高人体免疫功能和防治缺硒病症的根本措施。     

A process systems approach to life cycle inventories for minerals: South African and Australian case studies

In this paper, we present a process synthesis approach to the development of Life Cycle Inventories (LCIs) for production of minerals from primary ore bodies, based on a heuristics-driven flowsheeting methodology. Technologies are specified to a level of detail consistent with information availability and mass balance closure. This approach enables the creation of flowsheets for all minerals processing activities using a “cradle-to-gate” system boundary, from which it is possible to generate LCIs using accepted practices for the mapping of resource flows and emissions onto a profile of environmental burdens. In this work, LCIs are presented only for the foreground system (i.e. the flows from background systems, such as electricity generation, are documented but their environmental burden profile is not included in the LCIs reported). This method allows for the detailing of these inventories on a commodity, sector, or geographic (regional) basis. The approach has been demonstrated for all sub-sectors of the Australian and the South African minerals processing industries. A case study of the gold sub-sector in each region is presented in some detail, in order to highlight the key features of the approach and the usefulness of the LCI profiles generated. The potential for this approach to support comparative technology assessment and sub-sectoral performance is demonstrated for the copper sub-sector. Some indication of the value of the approach to assist in company benchmarking is presented. The performance of all key sectors, namely coal, gold, non-ferrous metals, ferrous metals, uranium, platinum group metals and mineral sands, though not detailed here, is available on our on-line data-base.¹. This information is used to develop an aggregated picture of minerals LCIs for the minerals processing activity in Australian and South Africa.     

沿海重化工业基地生态工业体系规划研究

基于实现区域可持续发展,提升区域循环经济水平的目标,以某沿海港口经济区为案例,阐述了循环经济生态工业体系规划与构建的程序和方法.在沿海重化工业的环境影响、国家政策及资源制约的基础上,分析了产业准入的条件.对符合准入条件的产业进行了产业共生体系的优化设计,提出了生态工业体系发展的规划框架.最后通过对该港口经济区进行资源环境压力与承载力的合规性分析,从总量上控制产业规模,调控优化产业布局和类型,并提出预防及减轻不良环境影响的措施,从而规划设计出该港口经济区的生态产业体系.      

Identification of best available techniques in the seafood industry: a case study

A Best Available Techniques (BAT) analysis of a mussel canning processing facility in northwest Spain was undertaken to investigate potential cleaner production and efficiency improvements. Potential techniques were identified from the literature and from our experience in the seafood sector. BATs were then assessed for possible implementation in a mussel canning facility. This work describes, in considerable detail, the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques discussed.     

宏观经济政策对资源环境保护的十大影响

从经济与环境关系的角度出发,探讨了国家宏观经济政策对环境的作用效应及其复杂性.结合大量实例,分析了价格、产业模式、贸易自由化、利率、贴现率、产权、补贴、投资导向、税收、就业及工资等宏观政策对资源环境保护的影响机制.结果表明:①旨在稳定生产与消费、调节市场和提高社会分配有效性的宏观经济政策,如资源价格、补贴等,由于人们对其缺乏系统的认识或对政策实施带来的后果预计不足,往往在短期内缓解经济矛盾的同时又产生了对资源环境保护的负作用;②旨在保持宏观经济大局稳定的调控手段如利率、贴现率等对于实现可持续发展是十分必要的,但由于私人与政府均存在短视的社会时间偏好等原因,也可能会对资源环境产生不利影响;③一些对经济增长和收入分配都会产生重要影响的宏观经济政策,如贸易自由化、投资导向、就业与工资政策、税收政策等,分别在不同程度上、直接或间接地影响着资源环境的利用与保护.因此应在综合分析基础上,结合中国实际,将环境考虑有效地纳入宏观经济决策体系,以促进中国下一步环境与经济的协调发展,并提出了一系列政策建议.      

Environmental profile of textile wet processing in Finland

This study was carried out in major Finnish textile companies in order to create an environmental impact profile for wet processing in Finland as a part of drafting the Best Available Technique (BAT) Reference documents for the European IPPC Bureau. System boundaries were defined for alternative process technologies to be used in BAT definitions. The use of resources and process emissions is, however, monitored for the whole wet processing only in the companies under study. No remarkable differences in energy and water consumption between continuous and batch wet processing could be measured; the lowest dyeing liquor ratios were reported on jet machines and the highest on winch dyeing machines. Dyestuff consumption depends on the colour shade required; some dyes have, however, low fixation rates, such as reactive and sulphur dyes, only 60% on average. About 20% of the process liquor containing unfixed dyestuffs and auxiliaries end up in sewage treatment plants. These chemicals are not recovered and reused in the companies under study. All industrial plants in Finland discharge their wastewater to municipal sewage treatment plants, which carry out wastewater analysis and control. All textile plants, which use more than 50 tonnes of organic solvents per year, are under official off-gas control in Finland.     

减少包装废弃物污染的环境政策研究

包装废弃物在城市生活垃圾中占有相当比重,严重污染了环境,导致自然资源的浪费,制约了中国包装工业的发展,与世界绿色浪潮形成了反衬.文章首先分析了包装废弃物对环境所造成污染的原因,主要有过度包装、有害包装材料使用以及一次性消费三个方面,并针对从包装的整个生命周期过程中分析了包装废弃物对环境的污染.论述了减少包装废弃物对生态环境、自然资源、社会发展的意义,并着重于从环境学角度提出一系列减少包装业所带来环境污染的环境政策的建议,希望通过这些环境政策的实施来缓解包装废弃物的污染现状,促进环境友好型社会的建立与发展.     

经济发展与环境保护同步走——日本经济发展中处理经济与环境问题的启示

本文参考借鉴日本在经济发展过程中环境保护政策实施的成功做法和经验,提出构建循环型社会需要不断完善考核体系、将经济与环境相融合的理念转化为落实三个转变的行动以及强化经济与环境同步政策实施力度的建议和启示。     

环境影响评价中公众参与影响因素及方式分析研究

针对环境影响评价中公众参与影响因素及方式分析问题,介绍了环境影响评价中公众参与的特征,包括公开性、双向性和参与性,对公众参与的影响因素进行了分析,主要分析了利害关系人、法律制度、公共政策、市场经济发展水平和社会信息化程度,探讨了公众参与有效性要素的措施,主要有公众人员的选择、公众赋予的权力、参与时间的选择、解决矛盾能力和公众参与形式,在环境影响评价中进行公众参与不仅是环境影响评价本身的需要,同时也是中国民主制度的体现。     

An approach to scenario analysis of the sustainability of an industrial sector applied to clothing and textiles in the UK

Companies aiming to be ‘sustainability leaders’ in their sector and governments wanting to support their ambitions need a means to assess the changes required to make a significant difference in the impact of their whole sector. Previous work on scenario analysis/scenario planning demonstrates extensive developments and applications, but as yet few attempts to integrate the ‘triple bottom line’ concerns of sustainability into scenario planning exercises. This paper, therefore, presents a methodology for scenario analysis of large change to an entire sector. The approach includes calculation of a ‘triple bottom line graphic equaliser’ to allow exploration and evaluation of the trade-offs between economic, environmental and social impacts. The methodology is applied to the UK's clothing and textiles sector, and results from the study of the sector are summarised. In reflecting on the specific study, some suggestions are made about future application of a similar methodology, including a template of candidate solutions that may lead to significant reduction in impacts.     

Environmental analysis of the production of natural cork stoppers in southern Europe (Catalonia – Spain)

The wine industry has developed greatly over recent years, and it could be stated that what was once a traditional industry has become a very productive and technical sector. One aspect that has not been studied until now is the cork stopper, despite the fact that most wine bottles are sealed with this product, and practically all corks are produced in the Iberian Peninsula.This study presents the environmental analysis of the production of natural cork stoppers, using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The research was supported by data from four Catalan representative companies and all the stages involved in the production after the forest management have been taken into account. The purpose of this research was to provide reference data for the Catalan cork industrial sector (Northeast Spain), and also contribute to deciding which aspects of natural cork stopper production must be improved and further researched. Another objective of this research was to emphasise and demonstrate that LCA methodology could be an interesting tool for improving traditional industry, from a cleaner production perspective.Results could be used by other sector companies to analyse and compare themselves with in order to know if they could improve their production with the current available technology. Impact assessment results indicate that the manufacturing stage was the stage causing the greatest impact, but also an evaluation of the influence of the initial transport from the forest reveals that this stage could notably increase the impact when raw cork was moved from distant forests.     

Environmental performance and practice across sectors: methodology and preliminary results

This paper introduces a new methodology for measuring and modeling manufacturers’ environmental performance and the managerial and technological practices that affect it. Facility level licensing data are used to develop indicators based on sector-specific criteria but capable of being analyzed across sectors, at various levels of aggregation. This addresses the problem that environmental performance and determinants tend to be highly context-specific, while modeling and policy interests are often more general. Using Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) information generated EU-wide, this approach should be capable of cross-country extension. The methodology is tested on a sample of Irish facilities in three sectors during 1996–2004. Preliminary results show its usefulness in exploring the determinants of environmental performance at the sector and cross sector levels. Word count = 10,049.     

Using structural equation modeling to test environmental performance in small and medium-sized manufacturers: can SEM help SMEs?

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), defined as manufacturers employing 500 or fewer people, represent an estimated 70–98% of the manufacturing population globally and together have the potential to significantly impact the environment. Many of these small manufacturers throughout the world are not in compliance with environmental regulations, and even fewer see the need to focus on pollution prevention, implement environmental management systems, or to use life-cycle management or other proactive environmental management practices. A validated environmental performance model for SMEs holds the promise of providing a roadmap to more productive environmental results. This paper discusses structural equation modeling as a useful methodology to validate environmental performance models.The paper shares some insights from the use of structural equation modeling, which was used to evaluate the development of an environmental performance model for SMEs. The model was based on the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria. We review SEM methodology and share results from a population of SMEs in the plastics manufacturing sector. Fit statistics confirmed the overall model fit, but not all of the paths in the model were statistically significant. An assessment of the non-significant paths (from leadership and from the system components of the model to environmental results) led the authors to conclude that an improved definition of environmental results is critical. Education of SMEs on the benefits of improved environmental performance is also warranted.