Current state on Harmonisation and Implementation/Enforcement of Environmental Legislation - Industrial Pollution Control in SLOVENIA Barbara Bernard Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning Slovenia

Introduction Several Slovenian laws like Environmental Protection Act, Act on Protection Against Natural and Other Accidents, Urban Planning Act, etc. provide the legal basis for controlling pollution and issues the various permits. Legislation in Slovenia regarding emissions is mostly harmonised with the European legislation Emissions are covered under regulations for effluents, air emissions, waste, noise, radiation and regulations for individual industry activities We still need to include the mechanism for following developments in the BAT (best available techniques), setting permit conditions accordingly, as well as the system for reviewing permit conditions. Slovenia intends to modify the existing acts and to issue specific governmental orders in order to fully transpose the directive.

Slovenian companies under the Directive 96/61/EC on integrated pollution prevention and control About 120 existing plants fall under the scope of the Directive on integrated pollution prevention and control, 640 (560 craft workshops) under VOC and 50 under SEVESO Mostly the biggest industry already works in accordance with EU standards and will have no problems in the future harmonisation (pharmacist industry, Gorenje -domestic appliances, Revoz - car industry…) Some other industry are delayed with the implementation of existing legislation (implementation of sanitation programme, issue of permits, deficiency of inspectors)

Other Directives and Regulations in the scope of IPPC Directive 1999/13/EC on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations – will be fully enforced by 31 December 2002 for new installations and by 31 October 2007 for existing ones Air pollution from industrial plants –The limit values for some sectors are based on Best Available Technology (BAT) –For those which are not covered in BAT Slovenia intends to issue new specific decrees, before the end of 2002 –It will also strengthen the monitoring in particular by adding rules on continuous measurement. –Slovenia does not expect implementation difficulties for 16 large combustion plants for a decree on the emission of substances into the atmosphere from heating plants

The Directive on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos –Slovenia has not yet decided how to ensure full transposition it intends to do so before the end of 2002, probably by ministerial regulation on handling asbestos when demolishing buildings. –Slovenia had not yet decided on how to deal with these issues Titanium dioxide industry –A specific pollution reduction programme is in place and should ensure compliance with the Community directives by end 2002 Directive on the control of major accident hazards –Slovenian legislation is only partly aligned with this directive –Slovenia is waiting for the results of some studies and, on the basis of them, a transitional period may be requested

Regulation on eco-management and audit scheme EMAS –Slovenia does not expect difficulties in implementing the regulation –Some Slovenian companies are certified under ISO norm 14001, which is similar but less comprehensive than EMAS –In order to establish an accreditation system of environmental verifiers and a competent body Slovenia intends to modify the Environmental Protection Act and to issue a specific decree in due time prior to accession. Regulation on a community eco-label award scheme –Slovenia does not foresee any problems in implementing the regulation and declared itself ready to participate by the time of accession. The legal basis is already included in Article 43 of the Environment Protection Act.

CONCLUSIONS The IPPC Directive as a basic directive of EU in the field of industrial pollution prevention and control demands relatively high investments and is thus also an opportunity to improve competitiveness via eco-technological optimisation. The IPPC Directive is of crucial importance for Slovenian industry. About 110 enterprises will have to obtain an integrated environmental permit, about 550 millions euros are needed in order to adapt the existing plants to BAT, i.e. for the technological changes, for reducing the emissions to air and water, waste management, and for reducing noise emissions. The Directive will also simplify administrative requirements of the state, because the IPPC permit will replace a series of current permits.