WGC BREF: The Payback of Taking Action Now
In this article, we present some case studies that show how chemical companies can comply with upcoming limits mandated by WGC BAT Conclusions (Common Waste Gas Management and Treatment Systems in the Chemical Sector). Besides avoiding production shutdowns and fines from authorities, taking action now will put you in a leading position in the sector.
What do I have to do to comply with WGC?
The Waste Gas in the Chemical sector BAT Conclusions, known as the WGC BAT Conclusions, apply to channelled and diffuse emissions to air from the chemical, petrochemical and pharma sectors. The main change will be far stricter BAT-associated achievable emissions levels (BAT-AEL) for
- Total Volatile Organic Carbon (TVOC): 1 mg/m³;
- Benzene/ Toluene: 0.5 mg/m³;
- Chlorinated solvents: 0.5 mg/m³;
- Ethylene/ propylene oxide: 0.5 mg/m³;
- Ammonia (NH3): 2 mg/m³;
- Hydrogen sulphide (H2S): 1 mg/m³.
In a previous article, we explained in more detail what the tighter WGC emission limits meant for chemical businesses and what you can do to achieve compliance and future-proof your business.
Now, it’s time to remind you that the deadline is approaching. Existing installations are expected to comply with the resulting permit requirements by December 12, 2026 and you must take action if you haven’t done so yet.
If your company has started to analyse its waste gas streams and check if the existing treatment system is sufficient to meet the stricter WGC limits, you’re already on the right track.
However, you now also need to start selecting the most suitable treatment technology, in place of or in addition to your existing treatment system. To do so, you have to test and validate the efficiency of the chosen solution and plan its integration into your existing processes. Of course, you should do it sooner rather than later if you want to reach compliance in time.
But don’t panic. DESOTEC may have just the right solution for you: activated carbon filtration is recognized as Best Available Technology (BAT) for emissions control, especially on VOCs or chlorinated compounds. The flexibility brought by its plug-and-play mobile filters means that you can quickly and easily implement the solution (even in a narrow space) and scale it up or down depending on your needs.
Case studies: How DESOTEC helped companies be compliant with WGC tighter emissions limits
Activated carbon filtration is a recognized best available technology (BAT) to remove VOCs and solvents emissions.
DESOTEC has demonstrated the efficiency of this purification route in real projects in the chemical or pharma sector. Here are some real cases showing how your competitors are taking the lead.
Enabling the Packaging Industry to Comply with WGC Emission Limits
A French specialty chemicals company offers solutions for the packaging and textile industry. Because of the upcoming WGC rules, they had to bring down the VOC concentration in their air emissions (flow rate of 457 m³/h) from 405 to below 20 mgC/Nm³. To reach compliance, the firm asked DESOTEC for a solution. We placed an AIRCON HC-XL downstream of the existing scrubber as a polishing step. Our intervention let the customer meet the regulation limits.
Helping Pharma Company Get Rid of Bromopropane
A well-known French company is producing medicines and therefore has been strictly monitored by authorities. The pharma leader had to remove bromopropane from air emissions generated from production processes and storage tanks venting. In particular, they were asked to reduce the bromopropane concentration from 200 mg/m³ to 2 mg/m³. To achieve this ambitious target, the firm reached out to DESOTEC. Our engineers installed 4 AIRCON V-L mobile filters, thus preventing any production interruptions mandated by authorities.
Removing DMF Solvent Emissions from Textile Industry
A Belgian company is producing coating for textiles. They already had in place a 2-step treatment (thermal oxidation + scrubber) to purify their air emissions, but it was not sufficient to remove DMF (Dimethylformamide). After being contacted by the firm, DESOTEC suggested adding an AIRCON V-XL mobile filter as a polishing step downstream of the existing system. Our prompt intervention enabled the coating manufacturer to reduce the DMF level by 60% and meet the emission limit.
Reducing Plastic Sector’s VOC emissions
A Dutch plastic manufacturer generates air emissions upon venting their storage tanks. These contain a series of VOC, including 1,2 dichloroethane, which is an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Local authorities requested the company to reduce the level of this dangerous pollutant as much as possible. Having to deal with a discontinuous flow (averaging 150 m³/hr), the plastic producer thought of DESOTEC mobile activated carbon filters as the best purification solution. Putting in place one AIRCON HC-XL filter, we let the client abide by the regulator requirements.
A Worthy Call to Action
Companies that are acting early are future-proofing their business, thus gaining a competitive edge in the market. If you want to keep up but don’t know where to start, DESOTEC experts are here to help. Give us a shout and we’ll suggest a customised solution for your activity.
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Achieving compliance with new WGC emission limits
Is your chemical, petrochemical or pharma company ready for the stringent new emission controls on waste gas that will come into force at the end of 2026 across the EU? Read on to learn about the WGC BREF, how DESOTEC offers cost-effective and hassle-free solutions, and how these are enabling a multinational chemicals company to future-proof its business. -
Our filtration solutions
We offer a wide range of filter models and carbon grades to suit your industrial water or air purification requirements. -
VOCs and Solvents
It’s vital to reduce VOCs and solvents in air emissions to protect occupational health, maintain air quality, and avoid contributing to climate change.