EIA, IPPC and SEVESO Links

1. EIA, IPPC and SEVESOLinks

2. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) vs Integrated Pollution Prevention & Control (IPPC) vs SEVESO • EIA: general environmental information tool(Directive 85/337/EEC, 97/11.EC) • linked to “project consent” decision making (permit) • environmental statement (report) - any relevant impacts, including emissions and health, environment and safety risks of accidents • IPPC: technical criteria for project decision-making • emission standards based on Best Available Technology BAT (Directive 96/61/EC) • SEVESO: risk assessment tool (Directive 96/82/EC, 2003/105/EC) • risks of major accidents for man and environment, limit the consequences • EIA: political IPPC/SEVESO: technical

3. Fields of application • EIA: all categories of projects likely to have significant impact • Screening required for IPPC projects/SEVESO activities within scope EIA Directive • IPPC: industrial activities, some agricultural activities • Nearly all IPPC Annex I categories also in EIA Annex I or II • SEVESO: establishments with dangerous substances • SEVESO projects are included in both EIA and IPPC Annexes • All: new projects, existing activities with changes and extensions

4. Exchangeable tools and procedures • EIA Annex III: tool to screen substantial changes or modifications, estimate significance also for IPPC/SEVESO • Scoping: EIA tool also useful for IPPC/SEVESO (voluntary) • Screening phase: efficiency of decision-making procedure when case is in scope of 2-3 Directives • Public participation: process for EIA, IPPC, SEVESO may be joined • EMAS: information useful for appraising significance of modifications and determining application of EIA/IPPC

5. Required information, documentation • Environmental report/information/documentation from applicant: • always required to provide, synergy possible • EIA, IPPC: effects, preventive/mitigating measures • SEVESO: risk analysis, safety conditions (also part of EIA/IPPC) • To avoid duplication: • co-ordinate stages where information is submitted • ensure information exchange between authorities • EIA can serve as basis for IPPC/SEVESO, supplemented • uniform classification system may save problems and time

6. Public involvement • permit applications (“applications for development consent”) and EIA report (“environmental statement”) available to the public • the “public concerned” : opportunity to express opinions before decision-making • inform “public concerned” about the decision and considerations, responding to results of consultations • Transboundary obligations may be joined for EIA, IPPC and SEVESO (See also ECE Convention on Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents = EIA/SEVESO)

7. IMPEL comparison table - a

8. IMPEL comparison table - b

9. project permit application prepare environmental statement (developer) check on BAT requirements IPPC (government) public review • project decision (permit): • conditions • response to public opinions EU project decision-making rules(EIA + IPPC)

10. Dutch permit / EIA procedure • preparatory discussions (developer, authority, NGOs) • submission of application (developer) • (only EIA: public scoping - announcement, public, authority) • (only EIA: preparing environmental statement: developer) • draft decision (authority) • 4 weeks time for public opinions (newspaper announcement, written or oral reactions, sometimes hearing) • project decision (permit + conditions + considerations) • possibility of appeal max 6 months

11. Some indicative statistics • hundreds of environmental permits every year (tens of these require an EIAs as well) • 90% of permits: no effect of NGO input • 10% of permits: significant NGO input, leading to better project decisions • 5% of permits are refused - but not an NGO effect • small percentage appeal • in most cases better acceptance of projects, despite NIMBY

12. NGOs and BAT • participating in national discussions about implementing IPPC (national BAT regulations) • checking whether projects meet national BAT regulations • identifying outdated BAT regulations (since technology is continuously improved - and economic growth will increase carrying capacity of firms)

13. INFOMIL - national helpdesk on environmental permitting and BAT • NL 16 million people • about 1500 helpdesk questions per month • 60% from governments • 20% from corporations • 20% others (incl NGOs, people from the public, Consultants)

14. IMPEL questionnaire - a

15. IMPEL questionnaire - b

16. IPPC: Best Available Technology • 50 industrial activities will be described in 30 BAT Reference Documents (BREFS), non-binding • states should develop their own criteria (binding) • European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Bureau Seville (http://ippcb.jrc.es/), current situation: • final BREFs on iron & steel, cement & lime, non ferrous, pulp and paper • draft BREFs on industrial cooling, chlor alkali, ferrous metal processing, glass

17. BAT in NL • technical standards and voluntary agreements with industry • main ones: air emissions from furnaces, soil protection, waste water emission, odour, noise, waste and hazardous waste handling, energy, admission of dangerous substances, use of pesticides, .. • information brochures - INFOMIL heldpdesk website: ca. 30 about industries and environmental problems • smaller industries need no permit but fall under general environmental rules (restaurants, bakeries, swimming pools, sport facilities, ...

18. paper and board iron and steel cement clinker aluminium and zinc textile chlor-alkali glass, mineral wool fertiliser refineries nitric acid phosphoric acid intensive livestock farming large volume organic compounds waste gas treatment carbon black NL BAT notes (input EU discussions)http://www.infomil.nl/overg/sdt_/eubat/eubatinh.htm