Best Environmental Practices (BEP)

The term best environmental practice means the application of the most appropriate combination of environmental control measures and strategies. In making a selection for individual cases, at least the following graduated range of measures should be considered:

1. the provision of information and education to the public and to users about the environmental consequences of choice of particular activities and choice of products, their use and ultimate disposal;
2. the development and application of codes of good environmental practice which covers all aspect of the activity in the product's life;
3. the mandatory application of labels informing users of environmental risks related to a product, its use and ultimate disposal;
4. saving resources, including energy;
5. making collection and disposal systems available to the public;
6. avoiding the use of hazardous substances or products and the generation of hazardous waste;
7. recycling, recovery and re-use;
8. the application of economic instruments to activities, products or groups of products;
9. establishing a system of licensing, involving a range of restrictions or a ban.

References

1992 OSPAR Convention, Amendments to Annexes II and III adopted at OSPAR 2007, PDF