Ciech Group companies operate on the basis of valid administrative decisions governing the method and scope of using the environment. Most important of them include integrated permits, water-law permits and decisions concerning waste management. All Ciech Group companies that use IPPC installations obtained 10-year integrated permits within the required periods. In the case of significant changes in the operation of enterprises, the integrated permits are updated on the on-going basis.
In consequence of the amendment to the EU laws regarding industrial emissions, it is expected that in the coming years the conditions of using the environment by economic entities will be toughened. In accordance with the new directive concerning industrial emissions (IED), the changes in comparison to the current regulations concern three main areas:
- Increase in the role of BREF reference documents for determination of requirements of the best available techniques (BAT) for individual installations. The European Commission will resolve the so-called BAT conclusions, which will form a kind of shortened version of BREF documents and will become a legally binding basis for issuance of a permit;
- Toughening of requirements for large combustion facilities for basic pollutions (SO2, NOx and dusts), especially for installations heated with coal, and a change of the definition of the combustion source – now, it is chimney;
- Introduction of new regulations concerning soil protection, including the obligation to draw up a report on the condition of soil and underground waters for hazardous substances in order to determine the initial condition of an area to be restored by an entity after it concludes its operations.
As a result of the legal amendments adopted by the EU, the industry will have to incur, in a short period of time, considerable outlays on modernisation of the technical infrastructure. Production companies of the Ciech Group will feel the changes to different extents. The most severe consequences of the changes will be visible at Soda Polska Ciech, due to future conditions regarding emissions of SO2, NOx and dusts for large combustion facilities. In accordance with the EU laws as amended, the installations will be subject to more severe emissions standards to become effective in 2016. In such case, both heat and power plants will have to undergo a comprehensive modernisation including construction of fumes desulphurisation and denitrogenation installations.
As regards technical, technological and organisational solutions applied, as well as the allowed emissions, the majority of Ciech Group production companies meet the requirements of the best available techniques. Some of the companies are just performing investment tasks which will enable them to reduce emissions to the level compliant with BAT. The greatest project of the said type includes conversion of the brine electrolysis installation operating in the diaphragm technology using asbestos, into a modern membrane method, which is implemented by Zachem.