One of the elements of the “Healthy Business Relations” program is substantive support, education and mutual awareness raising among entrepreneurs, among others in the field of ecology. For this reason, we remind all owners of companies that use the environment that the deadlines for submitting environmental reports to the relevant bodies are slowly approaching. The legal regulations tightened in recent years force us all to regularly draw up the appropriate documentation summarizing the previous year and increasing the responsibility for the natural environment, and thus our common good.

As we have already mentioned – every person will be an entrepreneur and using the environment, must necessarily submit relevant environmental reports in a timely manner.

What does it mean in the light of the law to use the environment?

Entities using the environment are entrepreneurs, i.e. natural persons, legal persons and organizational units, which are not a legal person, and whose legal capacity is granted by a separate act. The beneficiaries of the environment also include foreign entrepreneurs, those who carry out their activities outside the country, as well as a Polish citizen who performs activities abroad. The beneficiaries of the environment also include organizational units, which are not legal entities and natural persons, which can not be identified by the entity (referred to above), which use the environment to the extent to which an appropriate permit is required.

What does this mean in practice ?

In the simplest terms, “those using the environment”, all those who produce waste in their business use cars, machines, forklift trucks, power generators, boilers, stoves, agricultural tractors or rail vehicles. It is also those who carry out painting and painting work as well as run a fuel station or a fuel warehouse. All these entities must comply with the obligation to prepare the appropriate documentation, which we will tell you more about.

Dates of what reports are inevitably coming close?

January 30 – Report on periodic emissions of substances or energy introduced to the environment and water abstraction carried out more often than once a month (for the period 1.10 – 31.12 2018) The document is submitted to the competent environmental protection authority, as well as the voivodeship inspector for environmental protection.

31 January – Report on results from continuous measurements of emissions of substances or energy introduced into the environment (for the entire previous year). The document is submitted to the competent environmental protection authority, as well as the voivodeship inspector of environmental protection.

February 28 – KOBiZE Reports – It concerns entities that bring gases or dust into the air. This is a report for the entire previous year and includes information such as: the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and other substances that have been introduced into the environment; production volume and detailed information on raw materials and fuels that accompany emissions; technical measures to prevent or minimize emissions; the emission that was reduced due to the actions taken and when the emission reduction was achieved; planned dates of taking up new activities and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from them. The report is submitted electronically, through a personal profile at the National Center for Emissions Balancing and Management according to the template available on the platform.

March 15 – Report on owned waste, including municipal sewage sludge produced (for the previous year). It contains information about the type and amount of waste, and how to dispose of it. Folded to the voivodship marshal in which waste is generated, collected or recovered.

March 15 – Report for collecting used batteries or accumulators. Conducted annually, containing information on the type and quantity of batteries and accumulators placed on the market. Folded to the voivodship marshal.

March 31 – A list containing information on the annual fee for using the environment (for the entire last year). It refers to the introduction of gases or dust into the air, water intake, storage of waste and the introduction of wastewater into waters and land. The list is submitted to the marshal’s office in which the environment is used. The exception is the list of gases and dust introduced into the air. This document is submitted to the marshal’s office in which the entity submitting the list is registered.

March 31 – Report for packaging manufacturers, importers purchasing packaging, exporters who deliver packaging and products in packaging, and packaging products that have been manufactured by another business entity. It contains information about the mass of packaging produced, imported from abroad or exported to it, the type of packaging, the amount of product fee to be paid and the methods of conducting public, obligatory educational campaigns, and a list of costs devoted to this purpose.

March 31 – The deadline for submitting environmental fees

What will happen if you do not submit your reports in a timely manner?

If, according to the regulations, we are obliged to report to the relevant authorities, but we do not file it, we face a fine of PLN 500, pursuant to Article 200 para. 1 of the Waste Act of December 14, 2012. Moreover, we can also expect a fine of PLN 2,000 for not submitting a report in the time limit specified in the regulations, in accordance with Art. 200 sec. 4 of the said Act

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