The European Commission has published updated environmental standards aimed at reducing the impact of industrial facilities, including forges and foundries, on the environment. These changes are part of the Industrial Emissions Directive, a cornerstone of the EU’s broader plan to reduce industrial pollution in line with the goals of the Zero Pollution Action Plan and the Circular Economy framework.
Adopted in 2010, the Industrial Emissions Directive serves as the foundation for regulating approximately 75,000 industrial and agricultural facilities across the EU. Its goal is to integrate and enhance pollution controls while promoting resource efficiency. A key component of the Directive is the Best Available Techniques (BAT), which represent the most effective and economically viable methods for reducing pollution.
The BAT conclusions were developed through a detailed process involving industrial stakeholders, EU public authorities, and environmental organizations. These conclusions directly influence the operating permit conditions for facilities, setting stringent standards for emissions, resource use, and waste management.
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The BAT conclusions apply to a range of activities within the metal industry. For the ferrous metal sector, this includes forge operations utilizing hammers with energy exceeding 50 kilojoules per hammer and thermal power above 20 MW, as well as the operation of ferrous metal foundries with production capacities exceeding 20 tonnes per day. Regarding non-ferrous metal processing, BAT conclusions apply to the smelting and alloying processes of non-ferrous metals, including recycled materials, as well as the operation of non-ferrous metal foundries with a melting capacity exceeding four tonnes per day for lead and cadmium or 20 tonnes per day for other metals.
The new standards specifically target around 1,000 foundries and 25 forges utilizing hammers in forging processes—large industrial hammers or mechanical hammers used to shape metal—with specific requirements coming into effect immediately for new facilities, while existing ones have a four-year period to comply.
In addition to imposing stricter environmental requirements, the new regulation simplifies the process of issuing and enforcing environmental permits. The standardized reference values provided by the Directive make it easier for Member States to adopt and integrate these norms into their national legal frameworks, ensuring greater consistency and efficiency in environmental protection.
Through stringent requirements, the EU aims to minimize the negative environmental impact of industrial activities while simultaneously encouraging technological advancement and environmental responsibility among industrial stakeholders.
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