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USING MARKER PARAMETERS FOR SETTING AND ASSESSING BEST AVAILABLE TECHNIQUES EMISSION ASSOCIATED PERFORMANCE LEVELS

T. Guseva, M. Begak, Y. Molchanova, Maria Vartanyan, Nikolay Makarov

Abstract

In Russia, terms пїЅmarker substanceпїЅ or пїЅmarker parameterпїЅ have been used in regulatory acts on Best Available Techniques (BATs). For BAT-related purposes it is needed to select most significant, marker (or indicator) parameters characterizing applied technologies and useful for setting BAT-associated emission limit values. When reliable environmental performance data are scarce and self-monitoring practices are not fully developed, marker parameters should be chosen by means of expert analysis. Russian information and technical reference books on BATs have already been issued for over 20 industrial sectors. Each reference book contains a list of marker substances selected by experts and industry practitioners. Since 2019, according to the national Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control legislation, BAT-associated emission limit values for marker substances will be included in Integral Environmental Permits of major industries (about five to six thousand installations). Therefore, it is important to agree upon approaches towards selecting marker parameters and setting BAT-associated emission limit values to provide for well-substantiated and transparent decision-making. To select marker parameters several criteria are suggested. Marker parameters have to be typical of technological processes (sometimes exclusive, пїЅportraitпїЅ of a particular process, but this is often difficult to imagine). Marker parameters may be single substances (as carbon monoxide or sulphur dioxide), groups of substances (as nitrogen oxides in stack gases or nitrogen compounds in wastewater) or integral and surrogate parameters (such as pH, colour, chemical or biological oxygen demand). Marker parameters have to be selected from pollutants emitted in significant quantities. Both physical mass (flow) and so called пїЅadjustedпїЅ mass (considering toxicity or Maximum Allowable Concentrations as environmental quality standards) can be used to describe emissions. The latter one is preferable since it allows evaluating environmental hazards of emissions and reflects risk-based approach in environmental self-monitoring. Gradual implementation of BAT-based regulation and improvement of self-monitoring practices will allow to further substantiate selection of marker parameters and improve environmental performance of Russian industries.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2017/52/s20.143

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