BEAsT: a decision-support tool for assessing the environmental benefits and the economic attractiveness of best available techniques in industry

The implementation of Best Available Techniques (BATs) in industry can contribute significantly to the reduction of environmental burdens caused by industrial activities, yet it requires additional expenses, for investment, operation and maintenance, while providing environmental, and in many cases, even economic benefits. When examining BATs for potential application both economic and environmental costs and benefits affect the decision-making process. In view of the large number of BATs available for adoption and the difficulties in computing and comparing costs and benefits, especially environmental with economic ones, a decision-support tool for public and private administrators and managers has been developed, which offers rapid assessment of different BATs and their combinations both in terms of economic costs and environmental benefits that may result. This paper presents its methodological framework, main features and structure, together with some results of its application to the industrial sectors of the metropolitan area of Athens, Greece.