Any significant change to industrial installations entails several environmental obligations. Failure to meet these obligations can result in significant financial penalties, so it's important to be fully informed.
What is a significant change to an industrial installation?
A significant change to an industrial installation is one that could lead to a negative impact on the environment, for example, through waste generation or increased emissions. This could be the result of installation modernization, expansion, or a change in the raw materials used.
In such a situation it is necessary updating existing environmental protection decisions or amending them. (Some call them environmental permits.)
Some of the most important are environmental permits:
- sectoral permit for the release of dust or gases into the air, water extraction or waste generation.
- integrated permit granted for installations that may cause significant environmental pollution.
In some cases, it may be necessary to change the sectoral permit to an integrated one.
What is equally important, an installation that is subject to a significant change must be reported to the staroste or marshal's office 30 days before its commencement of operation.
What are the consequences of failing to report changes to an industrial installation and update permits?
Companies are threatened with fines for failing to meet environmental obligations arising after introducing a significant change to an industrial installation. administrative financial penalties, The authorities also have the option of exercising the right to apply a more drastic administrative tool in the form of an order to suspend the operation of the installationIn the latter case, the decision is most often made by the Environmental Protection Inspectorate, but in specific cases other authorities also have the right to do so.
If you want to avoid these consequences but are unsure whether your changes require notification or permit changes or updates, consider using environmental consulting. This involves advice provided by a specialized provider.
Thanks to the knowledge and experience of our experts, you'll gain access to all the information you need. You can also count on assistance in completing all formalities required by current regulations, including the IED 2.0 directive, which tightens the standards for integrated permits from the beginning of 2026.
What industrial installations require permits?
In light of the currently applicable law, integrated permit are required by all industrial installations that have a significant negative impact on the environment. These include, among others:
- installations for metal production and processing,
- installations for fuel and energy production,
- installations for the production of cement, glass, ceramics and lime,
- installations for the production of chemical products,
- installations used in waste management – their recovery or disposal.
Changes to the regulations have expanded the catalogue of industrial installations requiring an integrated permit – according to the new rules, the group of enterprises in the poultry and pig breeding industry that will be subject to an integrated permit will increase.
As for sectoral permits, They are required for many installations that release dust or gases into the air. These include transformer stations, boiler rooms, and air compressors. A sector permit is also required if a company produces more than 1 ton of hazardous waste or more than 5 tons of non-hazardous waste annually.
We also cannot forget about water permits, which are required, among others, when the installation discharges industrial wastewater into water or soil.
Environmental obligations for companies building and operating industrial installations are constantly changing. They often become more stringent, making it important to stay up-to-date and have access to trusted experts who can help avoid financial penalties or other consequences. This is another reason to utilize professional environmental consulting.
