BEST AVAILABLE TECHNIQUES

Best Available Techniques

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Best Available Techniques

Best Available Techniques or BAT is directive or a regulation taken by the pollution regulatory authorities in order to reduce and limit the pollutants to enter into our environment. The terms that are simultaneously used for best available techniques are Best Practicable Means or Best Practicable Environmental Option. The term looks to focus on the techniques in an ever changing environment and technology, with respect to what is regarded as available and achievable with the implication of best as the most effective and efficient technique or practice available and achievable. In literary sense it means to utilize the best available techniques and technology without looking into the cost and benefit analysis of that technology or technique. However, in practical terms the cost and benefit is also taken into account, and the technology or technique that is most cost efficient with regards to benefit is selected. The term best practicable means was used for the first time in UK`s national primary legislation in Salmon Fishery Act 1861 and after that was used in the Alkali Act Amendment Act 1874. However, the term Best Available Techniques or BAT was first time used in the OSPAR convention, which was for the protection of the marine life and environment of the North East Atlantic from industrial waste and pollutants, by restricting or limiting industrial installations (Work To Start On Bat Reviews, 2010).

Best Available Techniques previously referred to as Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost or BATNEEC, was introduced in 1984 within the Air Framework directive in European Commission, which regulates the air pollution from heavy industrial installations. However, in 1996 the Air Framework Directive was superseded by the IPPC Directive i.e. Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive, which applied the concepts within Best Available Practices to control pollution within three mediums that is air, water and soil. Though, even the IPPC Directive has now been succeeded by the Industrial Emissions Directive in the year 2010. The European Union Directive defines the Best Available Techniques in article 2.11 as

"best available techniques" means the most efficient and sophisticated stage in the expansion of performance and their means of function which point out the realistic aptness of particular practice for providing in attitude the foundation for emission limit values intended to stop and, where that is not feasible, normally to decrease emissions and the impact on the environment as a whole:

- "techniques" includes both the equipment and machinery used and the way in which the factory or company is planned, maintained, constructed, decommissioned and operated

- "available" techniques means those techniques that are developed on an extent that permits carrying out in the related industrial segment, under economically and technically feasible circumstances, taking into thought the expenses and returns, whether or not the technology and the techniques utilized or created within the Member State in enquiry, as long as they are rationally available to the operator of the industrial installation,

- "best" means most efficient in accomplishing a ...