The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition announced on Friday that the public consultation on amendments to the Waste Management Act has concluded. The new rules introduce GPS tracking of vehicles, video surveillance and regular site inspections to the system, while competent authorities are granted broader powers.
The Ministry states that the aim of the amendments is a more efficient and responsible system and a stronger state response to illegal waste disposal. Stricter conditions for carrying out activities and clearer personal and property liability are foreseen. Companies that breach regulations may have their operations restricted.
"With the proposed legislative amendments, we are strengthening the responsibility of all participants, introducing stricter monitoring of waste flows and ensuring that competent authorities have more effective tools to timely detect, effectively sanction and prevent illegal waste management", Minister Marija Vučković said.
Among the key new measures are the expansion of records in the eONTO system, expert supervision, the possibility of banning the import or export of waste and a list of persons prohibited from managing waste. In the event of illegal shipments, the state will be able to confiscate the shipment, vehicle and equipment to ensure the recovery of disposal costs.
Cities and municipalities also receive more concrete instruments. With support from the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, they will be able to remove illegally dumped waste more quickly and charge for its disposal costs.
Alongside the law amendments, remediation of contaminated sites continues. For the PPK Velebit site in Gospić, the Fund has launched two public procurement procedures. The first phase of remediation is worth 4.7 million euros excluding VAT, and the removal of waste stored in bags is 400 thousand euros.
A call for market research has also been published for the completion of the Sovjak pit remediation, one of the most complex environmental projects in the country. Evaluations of bids for waste removal in Poznanovec and Samobor are underway.
