Lesson 5 – Stockholm convention as general guidance on BAT

In this lesson, we will discuss the general guidance provided by the Stockholm Convention on the best available techniques and best environmental practices.

The Stockholm Convention encourages Parties to give priority to approaches that prevent the formation and release of chemicals listed in Part I of Annex C of the Convention. When considering proposals to construct new facilities or significantly modify existing facilities using processes that release chemicals listed in this Annex, priority consideration should be given to alternative processes, techniques, or practices that have similar usefulness but avoid the formation and release of such chemicals.

Parties are obliged to require the use of the best available techniques for new sources within source categories that a Party has identified as warranting such action in its action plan. Initially, focus should be given to the source categories identified in Part II of Annex C of the Convention. When a Party implements this obligation, it should assure that priority consideration is given to alternative processes, techniques, or practices that have similar usefulness but avoid the formation and release of chemicals listed in Part I of Annex C.

In conclusion, the Stockholm Convention provides general guidance on the best available techniques and best environmental practices that Parties are encouraged to follow. Parties are obliged to require the use of the best available techniques for new sources within source categories that warrant such action. Decision makers should undertake a comparison of the proposed process, available alternatives, and applicable legislation, taking into account environmental, health, safety, and socio-economic factors.

The following is indicative of some of these general environmental management principles and approaches:

  1. Sustainable development
  2. Sustainable consumption
  3. Development and implementation of environmental management systems
  4. Use of science, technology and indigenous knowledge to inform environmental decisions
  5. Precautionary approach
  6. Internalizing environmental costs and polluter pays
  7. Pollution prevention
  8. Integrated pollution prevention and control
  9. Co-benefits of controlling other pollutants
  10. Cleaner production
  11. Life cycle analysis
  12. Life cycle management
  13. Virtual elimination
  14. Community Right to Know

More about these principles you can find in our script  Modul7 BATBREF_1_BAT_Krizan.

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