Doing business in Latvia: Environmental rules
24 April 2012by Ina Dimireva -- last modified 24 April 2012
The guide summarizes the Latvian laws on environmental protection and how businesses should take these into consideration.
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Legal requirements
Environmental control
Environmental control is regulated by:
The Environmental Protection Law and Cabinet Regulations
The Law On Pollution and Cabinet Regulations
The Law On Environmental Impact Assessment and Cabinet Regulations
The Law on Natural Resources Tax and Cabinet Regulations
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment, the key government institution in respect of which is the Environment State Bureau, is a prerequisite for land development. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) is one of the environmental protection policy instruments covering and affecting all kinds of areas associated with the environment. The EIA should be seen as a procedure applicable in order to assess the potential impact of the intended activities on the environment and to develop proposals for preventing or reducing any negative impact.
The Law On Environmental Impact Assessments and Cabinet Regulations
Cabinet Regulations On Procedures for Assessing the Impact of Intended Activities on the Environment
The Protection Zone Law and the Cabinet Regulations
Waste management
The issue of waste management permits is governed by the Waste Management Law. The responsibility of businesses for packaging is governed by the Law on Packaging, while requirements related to vehicles are governed by the End-of Life Vehicles Management Law.
The Waste Management Law and Cabinet Regulations
The Law On Packaging and Cabinet Regulations
The End-of Life Vehicles Management Law and the Cabinet Regulations
The National Waste Management Plan 2006 - 2012
//Regional waste management plans
Chemicals
Institutions controlling this area and the responsibilities of businesses are laid down in the Chemical Substances and Chemical Products Law.
The industrial accident prevention programme or safety overview shall be submitted to the Environment State Bureau, the civil defence plan shall be submitted to the State Fire and Rescue Service.
For further information see the Environment State Bureau website
The Chemical Substances Law and Cabinet Regulations
Water protection
Monitoring of water resources use is laid down in the Water Management Law. Their quality standards - by the Cabinet Regulations.
The Water Management Law and Cabinet Regulations
Marine Environment Protection and Management Law
Air protection
Air control is generally governed by the Law On Pollution. Separate Cabinet Regulations lay down the responsibilities of businesses in connection with volatile organic compounds, fuel vapour, substances depleting the ozone layer, sulphur and odour pollution.
The Law On Pollution and Cabinet Regulations
Cabinet Regulations Regarding Ambient Air Quality
The Chemical Substances Law and Cabinet Regulations
Noise protection
Regulations on noise in the built environment, the environment, construction and noise created by equipment have been issued under the Law On Pollution, the Law On Construction and the Law On Conformity Assessment. Noise levels in commercial activity and noise created by transport is controlled by the Health Inspectorate, while the noise level at social events is controlled by local authorities.
Cabinet Regulations On Noise Level Assessment in Residential and Public Premises
Cabinet Regulations On Procedures for Environmental Noise Assessment and Management
Cabinet Regulations On Latvian Building Regulation LBN 016--03 Building Acoustics
Cabinet Regulations Regarding Emission of Noise from Equipment which is Utilised Outdoors
Radiation safety and nuclear safety
The Law On Radiation Safety and Nuclear Safety lays down responsibilities and safety requirements relating to ionising radiation sources for institutions and natural and legal persons. State control in this area is carried out by:
The Radiation Safety Centre of the State Environmental Service
The Law On Radiation Safety and Nuclear Safety and Cabinet Regulations
Inspections
A business must submit an application to the State Environmental Service for an environmental impact assessment, if technical regulations are required. The State Environmental Service shall issue the regulations or refusal within one month.
The Law On Environmental Impact Assessment and Cabinet Regulations
The State Environmental Service
Businesses are free to go beyond the minimum environmental legal requirements at their own initiative.
Administrative procedures
Declaratory procedures
Businesses must pay the natural resources tax quarterly in respect of the previous quarter by the twentieth of the following month and submit a return of the relevant computation to the State Revenue Service.
The return form for the natural resource tax computation for quarter No ___ of 200__
Further information can be obtained from the State Revenue Service.
Regulations on state statistic survey forms for environmental protection (waste, air and water)
Waste management
The annual report on waste shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service by 15 February. The Annual packaging return shall be submitted by 1 May. Businesses exempt from natural resources tax shall submit additional returns to the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund Administration:
Statistical Form No 3 - Waste. Waste review
Report on the volume and collection of used packaging and recovery of resources
The Latvian Environmental Protection Fund Administration
Regulations On State Statistic Survey Forms for Environmental Protection
Chemicals
The annual report on chemical substances and products shall be submitted to the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre by 1 March. A declaration of dangerous substances on-site shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service.
The report on handling of chemical substances and compounds
Cabinet Regulation on Requirements for Activities with Biocidal Products
Report to the European Chemicals Agency regarding the chemical substance classification marking
Notice concerning the export of a substance specified in Regulation 689/2008
On the application for registration with the European Chemicals Agency
Water
The annual report on water-resources use shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service by 31 January.
The system for submission of water reports
Cabinet Regulations On State Statistic Survey Forms for Environmental Protection
Climate and air
The report on greenhouse-effect gases and the auditor's report shall be submitted to the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre. The report on air protection must be submitted to the Environmental Service by 31 January. The report on refrigerant coolants or ozone-layer depleting chemical substances must be submitted to the Geology and Meteorology Centre by 1 February. The report on volatile organic compounds must be submitted to the State Environmental Service by 1 February.
Businesses that have been issued with greenhouse-gas emissions permits
The system for submission of air reports
Noise protection
Reporting on the prevention of noise pollution shall be carried out according to the rules on noise source and limit laid down by the State Environmental Service for Category A or B permits for polluting activity.
Radiation safety and nuclear safety
Operators must by 31 January submit information on changes in the previous year related to ionising radiation sources and activities therewith and on human resources and other changes to the Radiation Safety Centre of the State Environmental Service by 31 January.
The Law On Radiation Safety and Nuclear Safety
Permits and licences
Information on permits and licences can be found here:
State Environmental Service permit forms
Nature Protection Board permits
Land development
An environmental impact assessment, the key government institution in respect of which is the Environment State Bureau is a prerequisite of land development. Overall the body responsible for construction is the Ministry of Economics.
The Law On Environmental Impact Assessments
Environmental impact assessment procedures
Waste management
The State Environmental Service shall issue a waste management permit within one month.
Permit for reloading, sorting or storing waste
Application for permit for reloading, sorting or storing waste
Application for a waste transporting permit
Application for a waste collection permit
Revoked waste management permits
Chemicals
Chemical substance permits are issued by the State Environmental Service.
Cabinet Regulations On Requirements for Activities with Biocidal Products
Water
The Cabinet Regulations on permits for water-resources use defines the activities that require a permit for water-resources use; the application form shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service ; documents to be attached to the application. An application for a permit shall be submitted not later than 60 days before the commencement of the planned activity.
The State Environmental Service
Climate and air
An application for a permit for the emission of greenhouse-gases shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service 90 days in advance.
A greenhouse gas emissions permit
“Greenhouse-gas emissions trading register" to "Greenhouse-gas emissions unit register
An application for a volatile organic compounds licence shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service 30 days in advance.
An application for a refrigerant coolants or fluorinated greenhouse-gas licence shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service one month in advance.
Special permit (licence) for handling of refrigerant coolants
Latvian Freezing Equipment Engineering Association
Noise protection
There is no need for a separate noise permit. In his application to the Environmental Service regarding the receipt of permits for Category A or B polluting activity, the operator must state the noise source and rates. When issuing the permit, the Environmental Service prescribes requirements for noise sources and noise limits.
The provision of information relating to Category A and B polluting activity permits
Cabinet Regulations On Noise Level Assessment in Residential and Public Premises
Cabinet Regulations On Procedures for Environmental Noise Assessment
Cabinet Regulations On Latvian Building Regulation LBN 016--03 Building Acoustics
Cabinet Regulations Regarding Emission of Noise from Equipment which is Utilised Outdoors
Radiation safety and nuclear safety
Applications for ionising-radiation source permits shall be submitted to the Radiation Safety Centre of the State Environmental Service, which shall make its decision within 20 days. The Radiation Safety Centre shall, within five days of making its decision, issue the permit or its grounds for refusal and inform the applicant thereof. A duty is payable for the issue of a licence or permit.
The Law On Radiation Safety and Nuclear Safety [100 KB] Radiation Safety Centre
Inspections
Land development
The State Environmental Service enforces legislation within its competence.
The State Environmental Service
Waste managementWaste management inspection is carried out by inspectors of the State Monitoring and Control Department of the State Environmental Service and state environmental inspectors attached to regional environmental offices.
The State Environmental Service
Chemicals
The handling of chemical substances and the trade in biocides is controlled by the Health Inspectorate ; by the State Labour Inspectorate, in the case of chemicals in products and the work environment; and by the State Environmental Service in the case of manufacturing and professional use. Dangerous chemical substances on state borders - by the State Revenue Service. In the case of dangerous chemical substances on the state’s borders by the Consumer Rights Protections Centre. Chemical substances are managed by the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre.
The State Environmental Service
The Consumer Rights Protection Centre
The Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Water
Inspections related to water management within its competence are carried out by the State Environmental Service.
The State Environmental Service
Climate and air
The manufacture and use of products containing volatile organic compounds is controlled by the State Environmental Service, and by the Health Inspectorate in the case of conformity and traders. The market in sulphur-containing fuel is controlled by the State Environmental Service, the Maritime Administration of Latvia and the State Revenue Service Environmental requirements for petrol stations and oil depots, ozone-layer depleting substances and fluorinated greenhouse gases, together with the enforcement of regulations on odour restriction are controlled by the State Environmental Inspection.
The State Environmental Service
The Maritime Administration of Latvia
Noise protection
Commercial and vehicle noise levels are controlled by the Health Inspectorate. Local authorities are responsible for controlling noise created by social events.
Radiation safety and nuclear safety
This field is controlled by the Radiation Safety Centre of the State Environmental Service.
Source: Your Europe
