Introduction

This chapter examines environmental impact assessment (EIA) practice for wastewater treatment plants in the United Kingdom and Germany within its cultural and institutional context. It explains similarities and differences found in EIA practice in both countries, andto suggest improvements to both EIA systems. The chapter suggests improvements to both EIA systems and describes the environmental effects of wastewater treatment. It outlines the organisation and technology of wastewater management in both countries, to compare the ways in which, in practice, the EIA processes for wastewater treatment plants in both countries are implemented and the nature of the substantive issues raised. One of the objectives of the European EIA Directive was to harmonise environmental controls in the European Union in order to avoid distortion of competition. EIA is seen as a tool for the environmental management of the project. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.