This document addresses methodologies that can provide assistance to both Technical Working Groups (TWGs) and permit writers when considering the environmental and economic conflicts that can occur when determining which techniques to implement under the IPPC regime. This document addresses some of the core principles of the Directive:
• general information on economics and cross-media effects. Some terminology used in the IPPC regime is addressed
• a cross-media methodology is set out which allows the user to determine which alternative technique or techniques that might be implemented under IPPC offers the highest level of protection for the environment as a whole. The document sets out a transparent methodology for balancing the trade-offs that may have to be made in determining which is the best environmental option
• a costing methodology is set out which allows users and decision-makers to establish and present the costs of implementing a technique in a transparent way
• some of the methods that can be used to balance economic costs against the environmental benefits are addressed.
The concept of economic viability of the industrial sector implementing a technique or a set of techniques determined as BAT is also addressed.