2. Legal requirements
In accordance with the Environmental Protection
Act, businesses are required to pay for the emission
of gas and dust into the atmosphere, the discharge
of wastewater into the environment (water or
soil), the extraction of water, and for the landfilling
of waste.
There is a system of environmental charges in
Poland, which include charges for the emission of
gas and dust into the atmosphere, the extraction of
water, the discharge of waste into water or soil, and
for the landfilling of waste. The charges are set out
in the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 2008.
Charges are set each year and published as an
announcement by the Minister of the Environment.
Businesses are required to become familiar with and
adhere to environmental protection regulations.

3. Waste management
The Waste Management Act requires that each
waste holder should keep a qualitative and
quantitative waste register in accordance with
the relevant waste catalogue and the list of
hazardous waste. This requirement does not
apply to producers of municipal waste, natural
persons or organisational units which are not
companies and which use waste for their own
needs.
Irrespective of the requirements placed on waste holders by these legal acts, holders of a
particular waste type must also meet the requirements of the following specific acts:
•Vehicle Recycling Act
•Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act
•Batteries and Accumulators Act
•Packaging and Packaging Waste Act
•Act on the responsibilities of businesses for the management of certain waste types and on
product and deposit charges

4. The Act on Chemical Substances and Preparations introduces a
requirement to provide information about dangerous substances put on
the market.
The Water Law sets out general rules for water protection, including
prohibitions or restrictions on the use of water. It also indicates
implementing regulations that set out the quality standards of wastewater
discharged to water or land.
In addition, matters related to the discharge of industrial wastewater into
the sewage system are regulated by the Act on the Collective Water
Supply and Collective Wastewater Disposal.

5. Climate and the atmosphere
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its
supplement, the Kyoto Protocol are the basic documents concerned with
climate protection in Poland.
The Emissions Trading System covers laws, information and all matters
related to charges for the emission of greenhouse gases and other
substances into the atmosphere.

6. Noise protection
The Environmental Protection Act lays down the following requirements:
The requirement to meet acoustic standards as set out in the Regulation
of the Minister of the Environment.
When acoustic standards are exceeded (LAeq D and LAeq
N), environmental protection bodies issue a decision on the permissible
sound level in the environment.
IPPC permits are issued to installations together with an analysis of the
acoustic environmental impact (LAeq D and LAeq N).

7. Inspections
The Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection, voivodeship environmental inspectors as
well as employees of the Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (inspectors)
authorised by these bodies carry out inspections on entities using the environment. The
inspection procedures of the Inspectorate for Environmental Protection are governed by
the Act on the Inspectorate for Environmental Protection.
Voivodeship marshals, starosts as well as commune heads and mayors can also check
whether the environmental protection regulations are observed.
Businesses are inspected according to the rules set out in the Freedom of Business Act.
The duty of member states to maintain an appropriate system of official checks of
chemicals is implemented by Article 33 of the Act on chemical substances and
preparations as amended by the Act amending the act on chemical substances and
preparations and certain other acts.
The Inspectorate for Environmental Protection checks whether entities that use the
environment observe permissible sound levels as set out in the Regulation below as well
as in the decision of relevant bodies (decision on permissible noise levels or IPPC permit) if
such decisions have been issued.
Businesses are free to go beyond the minimum environmental legal requirements at their
own initiative.