In Ukraine, the procedure for issuing an integrated environmental permit will last 65 days according to the paperless principle.
Obtaining such permission provides for draft law No. 6004-d "On ensuring the constitutional rights of citizens to an environment safe for life and health" ("On industrial pollution"), wrote in his column on Economic truth coordinator of the GIZ project "The best technologies and management methods (BATM) in Ukraine" Andrii Gunko.
He said that the paperless principle minimizes contacts with officials and the number of paper documents, and also makes the procedure public. Issuance permission will take place on the "EkoSistema" platform in a sufficiently fast time, without taking into account the period of preliminary consideration of the application. After all, in the Czech Republic, for example, the procedure lasts about 185 days.
It is noted that at the first stage of the procedure, the operator of the industrial installation submits an application to the permitting authority. The application is filled out online and is uniform for all enterprises. During filling, the operator will be able to get advice from the permitting authority and will have time to eliminate all inconsistencies and deficiencies in the application before its public discussion and review.
Gunko explained that after that, the process of public discussion and consultations with the competent authorities takes place in parallel. Within 35 days from the beginning of the public discussion, the agencies have to submit their conclusions and proposals to the conditions of the integrated environmental permit.
Competent bodies include departments that administer the following areas:
- waste management;
- water management;
- atmospheric air protection;
- emergency situations;
- energy saving;
- Health Care;
- State Environmental Inspection.
The expert added that the terms of the public discussion and consultations take into account the possibility for the competent authorities to use the results of the public discussion. Also, the licensing authority and the operator can convene a coordination meeting.
Gunko emphasized that such a meeting is held during the period allotted to the permitting authority for issuing an integrated environmental permit. It will not slow down the procedure or increase its duration.
"The integrated environmental permit or the decision of the permitting authority to refuse to issue an integrated environmental permit immediately becomes available online," he said.
It is noted that in the EU BATM has been used since 1996 within the framework of Directive 96/61/EU on integrated prevention and control of industrial pollution. This made it possible to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment. Since 2004, European enterprises have improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions:
- sulfur dioxide – by 77%;
- nitric oxide – by 49%;
- dust – by 81%.
"This is the effect we want to achieve in Ukraine – the post-war restoration of industry and economy without increasing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases," Gunko emphasized.
It is worth noting that despite a number of positive aspects, the integrated permit will not eradicate the problem of corruption, nor will it reduce pollution from utility companies, the scale of illegal logging and natural landfills.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt for voting and as a whole draft law No. 6004-d "On ensuring the constitutional rights of citizens to an environment safe for life and health" ("On industrial pollution").
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the draft law "On industrial pollution" provides for a 12-year period for the modernization of all existing industrial facilities, in particular, a year for the implementation of the draft law, 4 years for the introduction of NDTM standards, and 7 years for modernization.
