5. Frequently asked questions

What do we mean by "best available techniques"?

Under IED regulations :

• The term "best" refers to the most effective techniques for protecting the environment as a whole.

• The notion of "techniques" covers everything from production processes and waste treatment facilities to chemical substitution and organizational arrangements.

• The notion of "available" requires that operators in a given industrial or agricultural sector are able to obtain the technology, that it is effectively implemented on an industrial scale, and that its cost (purchase, operation and maintenance in particular) is acceptable for the sector in question.