Historically, the Environment Agency has not given resource efficiency the same priority as other areas under PPC, such as emissions to air or releases to controlled waters. This, in its view, has been due to a shortage of BAT guidance and a lack of targets, resulting in ‘patchy’ regulation. However, increasingly resource efficiency is being viewed as a policy priority.
Currently, resource efficiency parameters such as energy and water consumption are recorded in PPC reporting forms; however this data is not centrally comparable. The EA describe regulation of resource efficiency as ‘data rich, knowledge poor’. It believes profiling will help to improve resource efficiency by identifying poorly performing sites, and in the long-run with the development of BAT.
To do this the study puts forward an optimal sector classification (OSC) selector tool and profiles a number of mock–ups to demonstrate how this would be achieved.
Sector profiles will generate data including the name(s) of the installations/sites and relevant resource efficiency data. The most detailed level of comparison will be at the Activity Schedule Reference (ASR) Paragraph level, or in some cases a new ASR Sub-Category level where meaningful comparison of resource efficiency performance against competitors and peers in the same sector or sub-sector can be made.
At this optimal level, profiles will make use of scatter plots of resource metrics against production (over time) to identify good, mediocre and poor performers. Profiles will include provision for league tables and top and bottom quartile performance indicators.
EA activity
It is clear from the report that the EA views resource efficiency as a key issue going forward into 2008. And by co-ordinating the data they already collect, are in a strong position to scrutinise sites and sectors. Whether resource efficiency profiles and league tables provide the EA with a suitable successor to the ‘Spotlight on Business Report’ is uncertain, one thing that is for certain is that resource efficiency is the new environmental ‘buzzword’ and will increasingly grow in importance. Indeed, the EA view resource efficiency as an integral aspect of ‘Sector Plans’ and make reference to their intended use throughout the study.
EEF activity
EEF will seek to engage with the EA on this issue, to further understand their intentions and the timeline for implementation. Members can expect timely website briefings in response to any developments on this important issue.