What happened
The National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change has mandated industrial enterprises to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere by half by December 1st. Organizations that fail to comply with the requirement may be temporarily suspended for up to 10 working days or liquidated on the basis of legislation.
Why is this important
- Strengthening control over industrial emissions is linked to increased air pollution and the risks of adverse meteorological conditions.
- Strict sanctions signal that the state intends to tighten the approach to businesses that ignore regulations.
- The decision directly affects environmental safety, public health, and the fulfillment of the country’s environmental goals.
Requirements and consequences
- When unfavorable weather conditions are forecasted, enterprises are obliged to reduce or completely stop polluting emissions.
- Violators face a temporary suspension of activities for up to 10 working days or liquidation of the enterprise.
- Enterprises that caused atmospheric air pollution may also be held criminally liable.
Enterprises of categories I and II in terms of the level of impact on the environment are also obliged:
- Install automatic emission monitoring stations and integrate them with environmental authorities;
- Implementation of highly efficient dust and gas treatment plants and modernization of existing ones;
- Equip sanitary protection zones with stationary observation posts.
In case of non-compliance, compensation payments will be increased fivefold.
Construction organizations
The Committee strictly warned the companies about the need to comply with air protection regulations:
- not to allow dust and sand to rise during work;
- install sprinklers and irrigation systems at the entrances and exits;
- organize the mandatory washing of transport wheels;
- equip the areas with fences and materials that prevent dust from spreading.
Context
- Failure by businesses to comply with environmental standards directly impacts air quality.
- Industrial emissions increase the concentration of dust, sulfur and nitrogen compounds, suspended particles (PM-10 and PM-2.5), which are retained in the air.
- This leads to smog, reduced visibility, increased respiratory diseases, and deterioration of the general environmental condition.
- As part of strengthening environmental control, authorities are more closely monitoring industrial and construction sites and tightening penalties for air pollution.
