- Assessment of the environmental impact
Fruit and vegetables processing plants with a production capacity of not less than 50 tonnes per year, by the power of the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of November 9th, 2010 on projects likely to have significant impact on the environment, have been considered as projects that may potentially have a significant impact on the environment. As a result, the installation of such plants requires a decision on environmental conditions. Such a decision, upon a request of the entity, is taken by the head of the municipality, mayor, or the president of the city having jurisdiction over the location of the investment. The issue of the above decision is preceded by an assessment of the environmental impact. In case of recognition of the establishment as likely to have a significant impact on the environment, the authority shall issue an order on the basis of which it obliges the applicant to prepare an environmental impact report.
The application for the above mentioned decision should be accompanied by:
- a report on the impact of the project on the environment or a project information sheet (for investments that could only potentially impact on the environment);
- a copy certified by the relevant authority of a cadastral map covering the anticipated area on which the project will be implemented, and covering an area that will be affected by the project;
- an extract from the land register covering the anticipated area.
The issuance of the decision on environmental conditions takes place prior to obtaining the water permit and prior to obtaining a construction permit.
- Water permit
The Act of July 18th, 2001 - Water Law in respect of operations requiring specific water use (for example consumption of water in amounts of more than 100 m3 per day) and the introduction of industrial wastewater containing substances that are particularly harmful to the water environment (heavy metals, phosphorus compounds, nitrates, fluorides) into the sewage system belonging to other entities, as well as designing of water devices (wastewater treatment plants), which issues may be associated with fruit and vegetable processing, require a water permit.
A water permit for specific water use is simultaneously a permit for the construction of water devices designed for the specific water use.
A water permit for special use of water is issued for a period not longer than 20 years. On the other hand a water permit for the disposal of sewage into water or into the grounds is issued for a period not longer than 10 years. The permission to discharge industrial wastewater containing substances particularly harmful to the water environment into the water or into the sewage system is issued for a period not longer than 4 years.
The water permit indicates the purpose and scope of the use of water, conditions for the exercise of the powers and duties necessary for the protection of environmental resources, the interests of the population and the economy.
An integral part of the permit for dependent use of water issued for more than one plant is a water management manual, certified in the granted permit or by a separate decision.
A water permit is issued on a basis of an application. The application should be accompanied by:
• a report on water and law matters
• a zoning permit or a regular and a graphic extract from the local spatial planning act, if the decision is not required;
• a description of the intended business conduct drawn up in a non-technical language.
- Report on water and law matters
The report is drawn in descriptive and graphic form.
The descriptive part of the report contains:
• the designation of the entity applying for the permit and the address of its registered office;
• specification of the purpose and scope of water use, the type of measuring equipment and water navigation marks, the legal status of the property and planned construction of water facilities, obligations towards third parties;
• characteristics of the waters covered by the water permit;
• the findings arising from the conditions of water use in the water region;
• indication of the effect of water management of the plant on surface waters and groundwaters,
• the procedures in case of start-up, stopping of the activities or an event of damage, as well as the size and conditions of the use of water and water facilities in these situations;
The graphic part of the report contains:
• plan of water facilities applied on the situation and elevation map of the area with indicated real property, located in the range of the impact of intended use of water or planned construction of water facilities, together with marking of the real estate surface, their owners and their address details;
• the basic cross and longitudinal sections of the water facilities and troughs of water flowing channels in the range of impact of these devices;
• schematic arrangement of measuring devices and water navigation signs;
• functional or technological diagram of water facilities.
The report, on the basis of which the water permit is granted for the surface impoundment, also includes a draft manual of water management.