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Environmental rules - Slovenia

Updated 04/2010

Legal requirements

The legal basis of nature conservation and protection of the natural heritage of Slovenia is the Nature Conservation Act.

  • Nature Conservation Act slovenščina

 The Nature Conservation Act regulates the following environmental matters:

  • the environmental permits (relating to environmental pollution, waste management etc.);
  • an environmental impact assessment for individual interventions;
  • the environmental taxes on: the pollution of air with carbon dioxide emissions, the use of lubricating oils and fluids, landfilling with scrap motor vehicles, landfilling with scrap pneumatic tyres, landfilling with scrap packaging, landfilling with waste electrical and electronic appliances, and environmental pollution due to the use of volatile organic compounds;
  • tradable emission permits (regulatory scheme for the sources of pollutants): trading the entitlements to release substances in water, the air or the land (emission coupons)
  • Nature Conservation Act slovenščina

In compliance with related regulations, the Government will define the standards of oil quality.

Mechanisms for the Control of Environmental Impact

Spatial Planning

The basic activities in the field of spatial planning are performed by the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning and Slovene Geodetic Administration which is a body within the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning.

  • Slovene Geodetic Administration slovenščina

Waste Management

Waste management includes: collecting, transporting, recycling, and removing waste, as well as monitoring the management of this.  The separate collection and recycling of waste is performed by various contractors, and the most important are Snaga, Dinos and Saubermacher.

The monitoring activities in this field are performed by the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.

 The Slovenian Environmental Agency is a body of the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning.  The Agency is currently introducing an Information System application for waste management called "IS waste" (IS odpadki) with a limited number of users. Entering the data in the electronic record sheets through the IS Waste application, might not be enough yet to replace filling in the record sheets in compliance with the Regulations on the Management of Waste products.   The record sheets will be valid after approval in accordance with the provisions of the Decree on Waste Management .

  • Slovenian Environmental Agency slovenščina
  • Decree on Waste Management slovenščina

Chemicals

The legal basis for the regulation of this field includes the following documents:

  • Chemicals Act slovenščina
  • Plant Protection Products Act slovenščina

The main body for the management of chemicals is the Slovenian Chemicals Office which works within the Ministry of Health. The Chemicals Office, among other activities, issues permits for performing activities, is the competent body for the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals, the control of chemicals which is carried out by an inner unit of the Chemical Control department.

  • Slovenian Chemicals Office slovenščina

Water

The basic act which governs water management in Slovenia is the Waters Act.

  • Waters Act slovenščina

Climate and Air

The Division of the environment and climate change carries out activities relating to environmental protection, biotechnology and climate changes. It participates in the adoption of legislation at EU level and provides for the transposition of EU environmental legislation to the legal system of Slovenia.

  • Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning – the Environment and Climate Change Division slovenščina

Noise Protection

There are the following regulations relating to noise:

  • Decree on Noise in the Natural and Living Environment slovenščina
  • Decree on Noise Owing to Road and Railway Traffic slovenščina
  • Decree on the Thresholds of Noise Indicators in the Environment slovenščina
  • Regulations on Initial Measurement of Noise and Operational Monitoring of Sources of Noise and on Conditions for their Execution slovenščina
  • Regulations on the Sound Insulation of Buildings slovenščina
  • Decree on the Assessment and Management of Noise in the Environment slovenščina

Nuclear Safety

The scope of authority of the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration includes the prevention or limitation of the harmful influence of ionising radiation on people, and ensuring that radiation sources are used only for peaceful purposes.

  • Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration slovenščina

 The Agency for Radioactive Waste Management deals with the effective, safe and responsible management of all types of radioactive waste in Slovenia from its appearance to final disposal.

  • Agency for Radioactive Waste Management slovenščina
  • Act on protection against ionising radiation and nuclear safety slovenščina
  • Decree on Radiation Activities slovenščina

Control

 The Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia supervises the execution of regulations and general acts which regulate environmental protection and nature conservation, as well as ecological control on the State border, the waters regime, water regulation and water management, construction of buildings other construction works, the fulfilment of fundamental requirements for buildings, housing matters and geodetic activities.

  • Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia slovenščina

Controls for the protection of public health is performed by the Health Inspection Service which deals with the implementation of Acts and other regulations in various fields, such as the following:

  • the health of drinking water
  • the hygiene of bathing waters;
  • the general safety of products within the competence of the Ministry of Health, with the exception of chemicals, remedies, medical devices and radiation sources, and
  • waste management relating to waste from medical activities in buildings intended for such activities.
  • Health Inspection Service Act slovenščina

Businesses are free to go beyond the minimum environmental legal requirements at their own initiative.

Administrative procedures

Administrative Procedures

The administrative procedures in the above-mentioned fields are usually carried out by administrative units, the Ministry of the Environment, and in certain cases they are carried out by a contractor for the public service for water rmanagement.

  • Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning slovenščina
  • administrative units slovenščina

Spatial Planning, Waste Management, Water, Climate and Air

The administrative procedures in the above-mentioned fields are carried out by local councils, administrative units and the Ministry for the Environment and Spatial Planning or the Slovenian Environmental Agency.

  • Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning slovenščina
  • Slovenian Environmental Agency slovenščina

Chemicals

The monitoring procedures for the most important factors in the area of chemicals and their use, are available on the following websites:

  • Kemijskovaren.si slovenščina
  • Biomonitoring slovenščina

Noise Protection

The administrative procedures in the field of safety are carried out by the Slovenian Environmental Agency and the Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia.

  • Slovenian Environmental Agency slovenščina
  • Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia slovenščina

Nuclear Safety

The administrative procedures in the field of nuclear safety are performed by the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration.

  • Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration slovenščina

Environmental Permits

If your business activities use the facility which is the source of the pollutant to be regulated, you need an environmental permit which must be registered with the Slovenian Environmental Agency.

  • Slovenian Environmental Agency slovenščina

To apply for an environmental permit you may submit your application and other forms to the Slovenian Environmental Agency by post or electronically through the IPPC Portal.

  • Forms with instructions slovenščina
  • IPPC Portal slovenščina Online government service

To obtain a permit for public works and/or an intervention in the environment of areas with special status you should submit an application to the Slovenian Environmental Agency:

  • Application for obtaining a nature conservation permit slovenščina Online government service

For obtaining a permit for environmental projects you must submit an application with a description of the project to the Slovenian Environmental Agency. A report on environmental impact assessment and a review report must be enclosed with the application.

  • Application for obtaining an environmental permit slovenščina Online government service
  • Opinion of the environmental expert on the review undertaken msw8 [28 KB] slovenščina Online government service

Spatial Planning

The competent bodies for determining the intended use of land area are the municipalities, and the relevant environmental permits will be issued by a competent administrative unit, but in the case of larger infrastructures or industrial buildings the competent body for the relevant procedures is the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning.

Waste Management

For obtaining an environmental permit for radiations and waste management you should first submit an application to the Slovenian Environmental Agency.

  • Application Forms relating to waste management slovenščina Online government service

Chemicals

For the issuance of environmental permits in the field of the use and marketing of chemicals in Slovenia, the competent body is the Slovenian Chemicals Office.

  • Slovenian Chemicals Office slovenščina

Water

For the issuance of environmental permits in the field of water, the competent body is the Slovenian Environmental Agency.         

  • Slovenian Environmental Agency slovenščina

Climate and Air

Within trading with rights to the emission of greenhouse gases the Republic of Slovenia has created the Emission Coupons Register which allows trading with emission coupons.

  • Emission Coupon Register slovenščina
  • Regulations on the General Conditions for Keeping the Emission Coupon Register slovenščina
  • Decision on the National Plan for the Distribution of Emission Coupons for 2008 – 2012 slovenščina
  • Application Forms relating to emissions slovenščina Online government service

Nuclear Safety

For the issuance of environmental permits in the field of nuclear safety, the competent body is the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration.

  • Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration slovenščina

Control

Spatial Planning

 The Inspectorate for the environment and spatial planning of the Republic of Slovenia is a body within the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, and its mission is to monitor the execution of and compliance with the regulations in its working area:

  • environmental protection and nature conservation, as well as ecological control on the State borders,
  • the water regime, water regulation and water management,
  • building and construction works,
  • meeting the fundamental requirements for buildings,
  • housing matters, and
  • geodetic activities.
  • Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning slovenščina

The divisions within the Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia are:

  • Inspectorate for the Environment slovenščina
  • Building Inspectors slovenščina
  • Housing Inspectors slovenščina
  • Geodetic Inspectors slovenščina

Waste Management

 The Inspectorate for the environment and spatial planning of the Republic of Slovenia is a body within the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, and its mission is to monitor the execution of and compliance with the regulations in its working area.

Chemicals

The Health Inspection Service, in order to protect public health, monitors the execution of the provisions of the Chemicals Act.

The Chemicals Inspection Service is a unit within the Slovenian Chemicals Office which acts within the Ministry of Health. Its mission is to monitor the execution of regulations relating to chemicals, submit recommendations, guidelines and measures for the improvement of environmental protection and people’s health and safety as a task of public importance. The Chemicals Inspection Service also offers expert help to legal entities and natural persons.

  • Health Inspection Service slovenščina
  • Chemicals Inspection Service slovenščina

Water

The control of water pollution is provided by a contractor for the public service for water rmanagement.

Climate and Air

 The Inspectorate for the environment and spatial planning of the Republic of Slovenia is a body within the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, and its mission is to monitor the execution of and compliance with the regulations in its working area.

Noise Protection

The Inspectors with authority for noise protection carry out monitoring activities relating to the execution of the Decree on Noise in the Natural and Living Environment..

Nuclear Safety

The Nuclear Safety Inspection Service monitors the execution of the provisions laid down in the legislation relating to nuclear safety and protection against radiations.

  • Nuclear Safety Inspection Service slovenščina

Resources

 The IPPC Portal offers Forms and a space on the Website, where you may store your documentation.

  • IPPC Portal slovenščina Online government service

Programmes

 The Eco Fund (Eko sklad) promotes investments in environmental activities.  It finances various investment schemes in the form of loans, such as loans for environmental protection at national and local level and for technology aimed at environmental protection.  The rates of interest for these loans are lower than others.

  • Eko sklad (Eco Fund) slovenščina
  • Invitation to tender slovenščina

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Legal texts

    • Environmental Protection Act, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 43/2005 of 29/4/2005 slovenščina
    • Nature Conservation Act, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 96/2004 of 30/8/2004 slovenščina
    • Decree on the Categories of Interventions in the Environment Requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 78/2006 of 25/7/2006 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax for the pollution of air with carbon dioxide emissions, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 43/2005 of 29/4/2005 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax on the use of lubricating oils and fluids, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 53/2005 of 31/5/2005 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax on landfilling with scrap motor vehicles, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 87/2005 of 30/9/2005 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax on landfilling with scrap pneumatic tyres, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 32/2006 of 28/3/2006 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax on landfilling with scrap packaging, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 32/2006 of 28/3/2006 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax on landfilling with scrap electrical and electronic equipment, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 32/2006 of 28/3/2006 slovenščina
    • Decree on environmental tax on environmental pollution due to the use of volatile organic compounds, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 122/2007 of 28/12/2007 slovenščina

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