According to the Environmental Protection Act, as an operator, you must be aware of the environmental impacts and environmental risks of your activities sand their management, as well as the possibilities for reducing harmful impacts. The pollution caused by the company’s activities must be prevented or, if this is impossible, the harmful effects must be limited to a minimum. Depending on its activities, your company may need an environmental permit, or the activities may require notification or registration in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act.
The operator must also be aware of the waste produced by the company and strive to reduce the amount of waste generated in accordance with the Waste Act. In addition, they must prevent the harmful effects of handling hazardous chemicals and explosives in accordance with the Chemicals Act and Chemicals Safety Act.
Your company needs an environmental permit for any activities that may pose a risk of polluting the environment, the water system or groundwater. Such activities may include large-scale biogas production, the metal and chemical industries, rock extraction, animal production or waste treatment. Depending on the scope of the activities, the permit is granted by the Regional State Administrative Agency or the municipal environmental protection authority.
Start looking into the need for an environmental permit well in advance, as the application process requires different reports and may take a long time. If necessary, you can first negotiate about the matter with the permit authority.
Submit an application for an environmental permit in accordance with the instructions issued by the permit authority. After the permit authority has received your application, it will give public notification of it. Other authorities shall, where appropriate, submit opinions, the parties concerned may submit complaints and the other parties may express their views. Your company will also be consulted in the process.
The process is concluded when the permit authority grants you the permit or rejects the application. An environmental permit may also include orders on the extent of activities, their emissions and on reducing emissions. A charge is payable for the permit.
A notification procedure lighter than an environmental permit is applied for many activities. Such activities include, for example, treatment of waste water in permit-based treatment plants at animal shelters and food and feed industry facilities. Some activities, such as asphalt stations, medium energy plants and fuel distribution stations, require registration. The notification and registration are subject to a fee.
The Environmental Protection Act contains detailed provisions on the requirement for an environmental permit, notification or registration and the responsible authorities.
Every company must be aware of the quantity and quality of the waste it generates and must organise waste management for their waste. The generation of must be prevented, and different types of waste must be recycled or otherwise treated in accordance with legislation.