扒哥吃瓜

鈥楤est available techniques鈥� (BAT) means the available techniques which are the best for preventing or minimising emissions and impacts on the environment. You need to use听BAT听if your operation is an installation (for example a facility that carries out an industrial process like a refinery, food factory or intensive farm).

鈥楾echniques鈥� include both the technology used and the way your installation is designed, built, maintained, operated and decommissioned.

The European Commission produces听. They contain BAT for installations. Any that were published before 1 January 2020 apply in the UK.

For example, there鈥檚 a听BREF听for intensive agriculture which includes听BAT听for housing for pig rearing units and a听BREF听for the food, drink and milk sector which includes听BAT听for minimising water consumption.

The European Commission has also published 鈥�BAT听肠辞苍肠濒耻蝉颈辞苍蝉鈥�(BATC) documents which are legal requirements that your operation must meet. From 1 January 2020, UK BATC听documents started to be produced 鈥� see UK BATC. These will have the same legal status as the EU BATC. BATC contain a description of BAT and associated emission limits (鈥�BAT-AELs鈥�) which you must comply with听unless the Environment Agency agrees you鈥檝e met certain criteria 鈥� see 鈥榟ow to propose an alternative technique鈥�.

The guide for your activity will include a link to the听BREF听note or听BATC for each activity (if there鈥檚 one available).

The UK regulators have agreed cross-cutting听BATC interpretation guidance for the implementation of BAT and interpreting common issues arising in the interpretation of BREFs and BATC. You can听request this guidance from your regulator.

How to follow BAT

Your permit conditions may tell you what听BAT听you must use, or they may set emission limit values (ELVs) or other environmental outcomes based on听BAT.

If your permit says you must follow听BAT听or 鈥榓ppropriate measures鈥� to achieve an outcome or听ELV, check the guide for your activity for the BAT for that process.

You may have to decide which BAT to use yourself if your permit does not tell you which BAT to use.

You may also need to take additional measures to meet the conditions in your permit.

BAT in your permit application

When you apply for an environmental permit you must state how you鈥檙e going to follow each BAT that applies to your activity, or propose an alternative.

You need to do this in the 鈥榦perating techniques鈥� section of the application form.

For BAT that you鈥檙e proposing to follow, you must explain how you鈥檙e going to either:

• follow the BATC and meet the BAT-associated emissions level (for BAT that are contained in BATC)
• follow the BREF note and the technical guidance for activities that do not have BATC

For any BAT you鈥檙e not going to follow, you must propose an alternative technique.

How to propose an alternative technique

If your alternative technique will provide a level of environmental protection that鈥檚 equivalent to the听BAT, you need to explain how it will do so in the operating techniques section of the application form.

If your technique will not provide equivalent environmental protection, but you want to make a case that it鈥檚 justified on cost benefit grounds, you鈥檒l need to provide a justification in the operating techniques section of the form and through your risk assessment and cost benefit analysis.

You will only be granted a permit for activities which do not comply with听BAT-associated emissions levels (AELs) if you can show that the costs of achieving the听BAT听AELs听are disproportionately high compared to the environmental benefits, for a particular reason. The reason must be either:

• the geographical or local environmental conditions of the site
• the technical characteristics of the site (for example, the effect of reducing excess emissions on other emissions, leading to an increase in water use or waste from your site)

Making this kind of proposal is called 鈥榓pplying for a derogation鈥�.

Get help with your cost benefit analysis

If you need to do a cost benefit analysis to support your proposal for an alternative technique, the Environment Agency has produced an Industrial Emissions Directive derogation: cost-benefit analysis tool that you can use.

Contact your regulator

England: contact the Environment Agency.

Wales: .

Scotland: .

Northern Ireland: .