The role of the workplace from the perspective of environment sector Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic Environmental Risk Management Department Dipl. Ing. Petra Bednáriková

Following principles are included into the Acts relating to the environmental protection and promotion 1. the precautionary principle 2. the sustainable development principle 3. the Polluter-Pays principle 4. the principle of the equivalent and integral environmental protection Environmental Acts can be divided into 2 basic groups: a) the Acts based on the prescription and the restriction (compulsory approach) b) the Acts based on the voluntary approach

A. The Acts based on the compulsory approach: 1. The Act on the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Purpose: to provide for conditions of, and procedure for the prevention of major industrial accidents at establishments handling selected dangerous substances, and to prepare for defeating such accidents, should they occur, as well as to limit their consequences for human life and health, the environment and property Transposition: Council Directive 96/82/EC on the control of major accidents hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO II Directive) the Act entered into force as of 1 st July 2002 UN ECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents -is being submitted for the inter-sectional comment

A. The Acts based on the compulsory approach 2. The Act on Environmental Impact Assessment Purpose: to ensure the procedure for the complete expert and public assessment of planned constructions, facilities and other activities determined under this Act before the decision on their permission under special provisions is given, and also for the assessment of proposals for certain development policies and legislation from the point of view of their presumed impact on the environment Transposition: The Council Directives 85/337/EEC and 97/11/EC on environmental impact assessment (EIA) the Act entered into force as of 1 st September 1994, the last amended version in 2002 UN ECE Convention on EIA was ratified by the Slovak Republic in 1999

A. The Acts based on the compulsory approach 3. The Act on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Purpose: to achieve integrated prevention and control of pollution, to reduce emissions in the air, water and land, including measures concerning waste, in order to achieve a high level of environmental protection Transposition: Council Directive 96/61/EC on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control the draft Act is being submitted to the Legislative Council of the Government of the Slovak Republic, it is expected, that the Act will enter into force as of 1 st March 2003

B. The Acts based on the voluntary approach: 1. The Act on the Eco-labelling Purpose: to provide for conditions of, and procedure for the eco-label award schemes described below: a) eco-label called „Environmental friendly product“ (national label) b) eco-label called „European Flower“ Transposition: Council Regulation 1980/2000/EC on a Community eco-label award scheme the Act will enter into force as of 1 st December 2002 based on the principles of Council Regulation 880/92/EC, the National Programme for Environmental Assessment and Labelling of Products, which was approved by the Government of the SR in 1996, has been developed and till now 42 products were awarded by eco-label „Environmental Friendly Product“ (EFP)

B. The Acts based on the voluntary approach: 2. The Act on the Eco-management and audit scheme Purpose: to provide for conditions of, and procedures for implementation of the voluntary environmental management and audit scheme Transposition: Council Regulation 761/2001/EC on the Community scheme enabling the voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in the eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), EN ISO the Act will enter into force as of 1 st December 2002 Detailed information: Aim: in order to achieve environmental objectives, the EMAS should encourage organisations to consider implementation of the best available technology, where appropriate and economically viable

B. The Acts based on the voluntary approach: Model of the EMAS: 1. Environmental policy 2. Planning (environmental aspects, legal and other requirements, objectives and targets) 3. Implementation and operation (structure and responsibility, training of employees, awareness and communication, document control, emergency preparedness and response, operation control) 4. Checking and corrective action (monitoring, non-conformance, preventive action, records, EMAS) 5. Management review 6. Continual improvement the EMAS was introduced in 96 enterprises in the SR

Co-operation between environment and health sector A: National Environmental and Health Action Plan (NEHAP) WHO/DEPA project „Implementation of NEHAP in the Slovak Republic“-the first NEHAP was approved in January 1997, updated version in 2000 the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic is responsible to ensure of NEHAP priorities mentioned below: 1. AIR POLLUTION a) Objective: to perform the international obligations of the SR in the field of air protection, which are aimed at reducing undesirable emissions in the air that negatively affect the environment and the health of the population Results: UN Framework Convention on climate change (succession- 1994)

Co-operation between environment and health sector Kyoto Protocol to the FCCC (Signature-December 1997, Ratification 31 May, 2002) Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutant ( Signature - May 2001, Ratification -5 August 2002) The „Report on the State of the Environment of the SR“ from 2000, states a declining trend in the development of emissions of pollutants into the air -SO 2 (compared with the 1989 situation, a decrease of 76,39%), NO x (a reduction of 49,76%), solid pollutants (a reduction of 81,8%), CO (a reduction of 37,8%), VOC (a reduction of 47%), heavy metals (Pb -a reduction of 68,8%) b) to re-assess the polluted areas, to assess the real environmental and health hazards Results: Territorial system of ecological stability- national, regional, local level

Co-operation between environment and health sector c) Objective: to ensure the functional monitoring of emission pollution, which will cover harmful substances significant for health (PM 10, BTX) upon announcement of their limits Results: Slovak Hydro-Meteorological Institute (SHMI) as the subsidiary body under the Ministry of the Environment of the SR is responsible for AIR Monitoring 2. WATER a) Objective: the systematic monitoring of drinking water quality in utilised sources Results: SHMI - WATER Monitoring b) Objective: Implementation of EU Directives to the national legal system Results: the new Act on Water-entered into force as of 1 st June 2002

Co-operation between environment and health sector 3. Public relations and relations with NGOs a) Objective and results: to provide information on NEHAP by the Public Relations Office of the Ministry of the Environment of the SR b) Objective: to inform the Slovak public about NEHAP issues Results: it is ensured by exhibitions (ENVIROJAR, INCHEBA), press conferences, thematic film library (ENVIROFILM), articles in the professional environmental magazines (ENVIROMAGAZIN,...), projects („Implementation of sustainable development in the SR“), participation in international co-operative programmes and activities (the Ministerial Conference on Health and Environment -Budapest 2004)

Co-operation between environment and health sector B: Environmental and Health Indicators System the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health is developing a system of indicators to facilitate the monitoring of environmental and public health policies 1. Feasibility study -was elaborated in , focused on determination of environmental and health indicators 2. Pilot Project: was launched in August 2002, Slovakia (like other 13 countries) have tested the EUROINDY information system Environment sector -provided first data set on air quality (imissions, emissions), disposal of hazardous waste, contaminated soil, territorial planning and building orders, radiation monitoring,..)

Co-operation between environment and social sector 1. the Act on Territorial building and Construction 2. the Order of the Ministry of the Environment of the SR -provides conditions on general technical requirements for construction and on general technical requirements for structures used by persons with limited capability of movement and orientation Limits specified for the health and environment protection in the area of structures concern: a) indoor air, sewage water, solid pollutants, dangerous chemicals, volatile and combustible substances b) micro-organisms, mineral substances c) kind of material, building products, radiation d) noise and vibration

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