Environmental polluters
According to the Russian legislation, “environmental polluters” are all companies that have a negative impact on the environment. Such companies are required to have themselves registered as environmental polluters (for the first time - before 31 December 2016).
As a result of the registration, the companies are to receive a registration certificate.
Failure to register as an environmental polluter will result in administrative penalties.
In order to apply for registration as an environmental polluter the companies must use an application form approved by Order No. 554 of 23 December 2015.
In order to have themselves registered, all environmental polluters must first determine which environmental hazard category they belong to and provide justification for such determination.
Environmental hazard categories
There are four environmental hazard categories. Category I includes facilities with a significant impact on the environment. Such facilities are also obliged to use the best available technologies (BATs) in their production process. Category II includes facilities that have moderate negative impact on the environment, category III – facilities with a low negative impact and category IV – facilities with a minimum negative impact on the environment.
In order to assign itself to a particular environmental hazard category, a company must use the criteria adopted by Decree No. 1029 of 28 September 2015. For instance, facilities manufacturing petrochemicals, glass (with the output of 20 tons per day or more), halogenated hydrocarbons, synthetic dyes and pigments, surfactants, etc. belong to category I (most environmentally hazardous and subject to the operation of the best available technologies).
Update of the information contained in the environmental polluters’ registry
Companies must notify the authorities responsible for maintaining the registry if:
- the company undergoes restructuring or incorporation changes, change of its name or address;
- the location of the facility having a negative impact on the environment undergoes a change;
- technical equipment neutralizing, treating or purifying air emissions, wastewater discharges or wastes changes its characteristics.
As a result of such a notification the authorities are required to update the information contained in the registry.