BREF is raising the bar for industrial water efficiency

In the European Union, BREFs (Best Available Techniques Reference Documents) guide how industries manage emissions, including water discharges. With each revision, water efficiency and pollution control are becoming central pillars.

What Is a BREF?

BREFs define BATs (Best Available Techniques) per industrial sector. EU member states must incorporate BREF conclusions, especially emission limits, into industrial permits.

Rising focus on water

Recent BREFs, like those for the chemical, textile, and food sectors, include:

  • More stringent pollutant thresholds
  • Mandatory water reuse targets
  • Specific technologies for water reduction (e.g., membrane filtration, CIP optimization)

Regulatory

The revised Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) emphasizes water reuse and efficiency. Companies may soon need to submit resource efficiency plans, including water balance assessments. This impacts industries, because this comes with the need for upgraded water treatment systems to meet stricter BAT-AELs, and a water reuse strategy. BREFs are no longer just about emissions, they are blueprints for holistic water management. Staying ahead of them means gaining a regulatory and sustainability edge.

Is your industrial wastewater treatment ready for stricter BREF requirements?

Talk to our experts about BAT conclusions, water reuse and the wastewater treatment upgrades your site may need to stay compliant.