Division SCOPE

These BAT conclusions cover certain industrial activities specified in Sections 4.2(a) and 4.2(c) of Annex I to Directive 2010/75/EU, namely the production of chlor-alkali chemicals (chlorine, hydrogen, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide) by the electrolysis of brine.

In particular, these BAT conclusions cover the following processes and activities:

• the storage of salt;

• the preparation, purification and resaturation of brine;

• the electrolysis of brine;

• the concentration, purification, storage and handling of sodium/potassium hydroxide;

• the cooling, drying, purification, compression, liquefaction, storage and handling of chlorine;

• the cooling, purification, compression, storage and handling of hydrogen;

• the conversion of mercury cell plants to membrane cell plants;

• the decommissioning of mercury cell plants;

• the remediation of chlor-alkali production sites.

These BAT conclusions do not address the following activities or processes:

• the electrolysis of hydrochloric acid for the production of chlorine;

• the electrolysis of brine for the production of sodium chlorate; this is covered by the BAT reference document on Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals – Solids and Others Industry (LVIC-S);

• the electrolysis of molten salts for the production of alkali or alkaline earth metals and chlorine; this is covered by the BAT reference document on Non-ferrous Metals Industries (NFM);

• the production of specialities such as alcoholates, dithionites and alkali metals by using alkali metal amalgam produced with the mercury cell technique;

• the production of chlorine, hydrogen or sodium/potassium hydroxide by processes other than electrolysis.

These BAT conclusions do not address the following aspects of chlor-alkali production as they are covered by the BAT reference document on Common Waste Water and Waste Gas Treatment/Management Systems in the Chemical Sector (CWW);

• the treatment of waste water in a downstream treatment plant;

• environmental management systems;

• noise emissions.

Other reference documents which are of relevance for the activities covered by these BAT conclusions are the following: