Industrial Emissions Directive: Stricter limits and implications for business
It is often quite alarming to find out that, otherwise, good business are not aware of new laws which could have serious implication for the sustainability and indeed the viability of their business activities.
- The Directive on industrial emissions 2010/75/EU (IED) was due to be transposed into national legislation by Member States by 7 January 2013.
The Directive revises and merges seven separate existing Directives related to industrial emissions into a single Directive and aims to simplify existing legislation related to industrial emissions, including the:
- Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive (2008/1/EC);
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Solvents Directive (99/13/EC);
The Industrial Emissions Directive streamlines the system and imposes stricter limits in some instances.
- From 7 January 2013, the IED will apply to all new installations.
- By 7 January 2014, it will apply to all existing installations, meaning that existing IPPC Licences may need to be reviewed to ensure that they are in compliance with the IED.
- Where there are new activities included, for example, with wood preservation and shredding, these must be in compliance by 7 January 2015.
- The IED has streamlined the existing legislation, reduced thresholds in some instances and introduced some new provisions.
- Also of note is that Article 22, relating to site closure, requires baseline reports to be prepared prior to the operation of an installation or on the first permit review after 7 January 2013.