6. Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between BAT and clean technology?

The term "clean technology" is not synonymous with Best Available Technique (BAT). BATs thus stem from a preventive approach as close as possible to the source, and concern both curative and preventive techniques. BAT can be defined as a snapshot of the panel of least-polluting and industrially-proven technologies, i.e. the most eco-efficient for a given period.

Clean technologies, on the other hand, concern only preventive techniques. They can be defined as a manufacturing method that enables the rational use of raw materials and energy, and the reduction of the quantity of effluents polluting the environment. For industrial applications, a clean technology can only be considered a BAT within the meaning of the IPPC Directive if it has been industrially proven. The main objectives...