Law No. 08/L-145 on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control

Law No. 08/L-145 on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control, approved by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo and published in the Official Gazette on March 30, 2023, aims to prevent and control the nature of the environment by taking measures to protect air, water and soil, as well as to maintain sustainable resource management. (Official Gazette)

Main Services and Objectives:

• Pollution Prevention: The law aims to prevent pollution at source by using the best available techniques and promoting the efficiency of natural resources.
• Integrated Control: Ensuring an integrated approach to pollution management, taking into account attention to all components of the environment.

Scope:

• The law applies to all plants and activities that can be released into the environment, including:
• Heavy industry: Such as plants for the name of metals, cement and chemicals.
• Production production: Burning of fossil fuels for the past year.
• Waste management: Plants for children and the disposal of waste and other non-hazardous waste.

Integrated Environmental Permit:

• One of the key elements of the law is the requirement to obtain an Integrated Environmental Permit for the operation of unrelated foreign facilities. This permit:
• Specifies the operating conditions: Including emission limits, pollution prevention measures and regular monitoring.
• Based on best available techniques: Requires operators to use technologies and practices that minimize environmental impact.

Operators’ Responsibilities:

• Preparation of the permit application: Operators must submit a detailed information sheet containing information on their activities, their impacts on the environment and the measures they have in place to prevent and control pollution.
• Implementation of permit conditions: After obtaining permits, operators are required to comply with all applicable regulations and to report regularly on their environmental performance.

Role of Competent Authorities:

• Issuance of Permits: Authorities are required to issue permits to establish and operate integrated facilities, ensuring that the conditions created comply with environmental standards.
• Monitoring and inspection: Conduct regular inspections to ensure that operators are complying with the permitted conditions and take measures in case of violations.

Amendments and Supplements:

This law has been amended and supplemented by Law No. 08/L-262 on Amending and Supplementing the Laws Containing the Special Administrative Procedure and Their Harmonization with Law No. 05/L-031 on the General Administrative Procedure Phase Two, published on August 8, 2024.

Repeal of the Previous Law:

With the entry into force of the law, Law No. 03/L-043 on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control and Annexes, which was in force since May 8, 2009, has been repealed.

For more details, you can consult the full text of the law in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo.