The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has extended the deadline for submitting declarations on the conduct of economic activities related to waste treatment operations for another 4 months – until October 9, 2024.
The relevant announcement was published on the Cabinet's website.
This means that companies that have submitted declarations can operate under them for another 4 months, but during this time they need to collect all the documents and obtain a Waste Management Permit, as provided for by the Law of Ukraine "On Waste Management".
Companies that have not previously submitted declarations and want to carry out the relevant activities must obtain the Waste Treatment Operations Permit before starting such activities.
Which companies are required to have a Permit for waste treatment operations?
This requirement applies to all enterprises that carry out any – even the smallest – waste treatment operations. For example, permits must be obtained for almost all business entities that work in the field of medicine, in the mining, cardboard and paper, metallurgical, plastic processing industries, refine petroleum products (refining oils, olives), sort waste (sorting stations), incineration, composting, obtaining biogas or biological processing, etc.
How to get this document?
In order to obtain a Permit for waste treatment operations, it is necessary to submit an application to the Ministry of Environment and attach documents to it. The list of documents depends on the operations to be carried out. Permits are indefinite, with the exception of the waste disposal permit, which is issued for the estimated term of operation of the landfill.
The Cabinet of Ministers reports that the Ministry of Environment plans to establish a simplified procedure for obtaining permits for enterprises that work with waste that is not hazardous and has a minimal impact on the environment as part of an experimental project. For example, these are business entities that collect/transport non-hazardous waste, as well as carry out operations such as sorting, crushing, compaction, granulation, drying (naturally), shredding of waste, etc.
This also applies to companies that use wood waste for the production of thermal energy for internal needs and enterprises that independently dispose of their waste at their own landfills (at the site of waste generation).
The relevant project of the resolution has already passed public discussion and has been submitted to the Government for approval.
In mid-May, EcoPolitic reported that in Ukraine more than 8,000 companies will become illegal due to waste "reform". The President of the Association of Environmental Professionals Lyudmila Tsyganok then warned that the vast majority of enterprises will not have time to obtain a Permit for waste processing operations by June 9, 2024, as provided by the Law of Ukraine "On Waste Management". She noted that obtaining it is a complex process and takes at least six months.
The expert offered 4 steps to avoid a crisis in the field of waste management. In particular, she recommended extending the validity of the declarations until the end of martial law and for 3 months after its end.
