The main amendments relate to the definitions used in the Law:
- “waste collection” (collection is carried out by a person who implements further processing, recycling, disposal, placing of collected waste);
- “waste accumulation” (reference to implementation of waste accumulation in places (on areas), equipped in accordance with the requirements of environmental protection and sanitary and epidemiological population welfare legislation is deleted. The Law stipulates certain article 13.4 where provides requirements to waste accumulation places (areas) and possibility for separate waste accumulation because of separate waste storage under waste types, groups, groups of one-item waste);
- “product waste” (the new version of definition includes goods package);
- “recycling standard” is excluded from the Law.
Another part of amendments relates to regulation in the sphere of product waste management as well as to order of environmental fee payment:
- association (union) established to ensure implementation of recycling standard is entitled to conclude contracts with persons carrying out product waste recycling (apart from solid household waste). Previously, the types of services rendered as part of the licensed activity, also included waste collection, transportation and processing. Thus, now association (union) has right to enter into contract only with persons whose license includes waste recycling as part of licensed activity. Firstly, the aforementioned amendments are connected with new version of “waste collection” definition, because now waste collection is carried out by a person who implements inter alia further recycling of waste; secondly, — excludes the possibility for association (union) to conclude separate contracts with specialized operators implementing certain types of activity on waste management.
- the Law amends article 24.2 with clause 9.1 dedicated to documents confirming implementation of recycling standard as follows: contracts with persons carrying out product waste recycling and product waste recycling certificates. Data on the mentioned contracts and certificates are subject to reporting on recycling standard implementation. The abovementioned changes correlate with amendments proposed to the Government Resolution of the Russian Federation No. 1342 dated 08.12.2015 on compliance with waste recycling standards reporting procedure1.
- regarding goods package the environmental fee is paid by manufacturers and importers of goods in such package. In that regard, all amendments in part of environmental fee are connected with inclusion of package as independent part to environmental fee calculation formula.