Application of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for BPEO studies for waste management licensing in South Africa

Abstract

This paper gives background on the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) which is a principle in the National Environmental Management Act (1998) and is included now in Section 48.c of the NEMWaste Bill, [Version Sept 2007] (2007), as a relevant matter that must be taken into account in the authorization of a Waste Management Licence. The aspects that licence and the BPEO should include are human health, environment, society, economy, and cultural heritage. Multi-criteria assessment tools are usually used to provide a basis for a systematic comparison of importance and to identify the disadvantages and benefits of different options for each criterion. The history of the development of the BPEO is described from the documents provided by the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (http://www.defra.gov.uk/) and other UK epartments which have been involved over the past 20 years in the development of and application of MCDA techniques for management of waste, pollution control, and economic and environmental assessments of transportation projects. While to some extent the BPEO for waste facilities has been overtaken by the European Directive for IPPC standard for establishing a Best Available Technique (BAT) which provides technical minimum standards for equipment to be used for waste management licensing. The BPEO guidance documents developed from needs identified by the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, have focussed on three aspects: consultation to get widest range of options and credibility of outcomes, protection of three media from pollution, numerical assessments leading to qualitative interpretation. Multi criteria tools have been used to provide a systematic method for ranking options and for making comparison of benefits and impacts in the different aspects. This contribution to WasteCon evaluates the way that BPEO can be used for licensing by comparing studies carried out in the UK and SA with focus on MCDA identification of criteria and ranking.