Approval procedures with Ökopol
In the approval procedures for large industrial plants the actors involved are often faced with a complex ecological problem, requiring expert orientation. Within the framework of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (96/61/EC), the Federal Law on Immission Protection (BImSchG), and the Cycle Economy and Waste Law (KrW-/AbfG), it is necessary to assess and optimise the planned actions, e.g., the construction of or substantial changes to chemical or metallurgical plants, cement kilns or waste incinerators.


Involved parties:

• Affected residents often reject such plans at first. However, they are often confused by the complexity of the plans and with setting legally feasible objectives, which lie between the supposed "maximal success" (i.e., preventing the plant being built) and "defeat" (the plant is built). This means that even environmentally positive projects would possibly face opposition from the neighbourhood.
• Companies, in particular small and medium-sized companies, applying for a permit are often confused by the extensive formalities in the permitting procedure. Poor quality of the application documents can lead to a confidence crisis, which makes the public hearing to a threatening hurdle even for absolutely useful plans.
• The regulating authority must mobilise extensive technical know-how at short notice. It must present itself to the permit applicant as being equally competent and be able to separate justified objections of residents from over-exaggerated demands.

Ökopol understands its role as a conflict advisor, which, from a democratic conviction, is committed to an objectification of the discussion. Extensive experience has shown that there can be several "winners" in most permitting procedures.

What we do for:

• Residents: expert advice and assistance in all stages of the process
• Companies: assistance in preparing the application documents, consulting and conducting the environmental impact assessment, communication advice
• Authorities: check on completeness and plausibility of the application documents, compliance with IPPC standards on Best Available Techniques (BAT)
• All parties involved: communication options beyond the legal minimum requirements, e.g. through monitoring and improved information exchange.

References:
Economic evaluation of dust abatement techniques in the European Cement Industry (commissioned by European Commission, DG Environment, Brussels, 1999).

Economic evaluation of NOx abatement techniques in the European Cement Industry (commissioned by European Commission, DG Environment, Brussels,1998).

Representative of the European Environmental Bureau in the EU Technical Working Groups on Best Available Technologies (BAT) under the IPPC Directive (96/61/EC) for the sectors

• non-ferrous metals industry (1998-99)
• iron and steel industry (1997-98)
• cement and lime industry (1997-98).