BREFs

Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREFs) are technical reference documents produced under the European Union's environmental regulation framework for industrial emissions. They are part of the legacy IPPC Directive (Council Directive 96/61/EC) and its successor, the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED, 2010/75/EU). BREFs summarize state-of-the-art techniques for specific industrial sectors and provide the information that permits authorities use to define legally binding emission limits and other permit conditions.

A BREF describes the processes, relevant emissions and waste streams, and the techniques that constitute the best available techniques for a sector. It also outlines monitoring and testing methods, energy efficiency measures, and management practices that improve environmental performance. From these documents, the European Commission adopts BAT conclusions, which specify the BATs and, where applicable, BAT-associated emission levels (BAT-AELs). These BAT conclusions are intended to guide national permitting and enforcement across the EU.

Development and governance: BREFs are prepared by the European IPPC Bureau (EIPPCB) under the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, with input from member states, industry representatives, and other stakeholders. They undergo public consultation and are subject to EC adoption. Updates occur periodically to reflect advances in technology and changes in regulation.

Impact: In member states, BREFs inform permit issuance for industrial installations and provide a harmonized reference for assessing compliance. While not directly law themselves, they are incorporated into national permits and can influence enforcement practices and investment decisions by industry.