As Deputy Minister Jacek Ozdoba pointed out during a press conference held on 22 June 2021, the phenomenon of illegal disposal of waste has been increasing in recent years.

Waste is illegally disposed in forest areas, post-mining pits, abandoned industrial sites. The dumping of waste by rogue operators on private property is also a great issue

– he said.

The Acting Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection Marek Chibowski warned owners of land and warehouses for rent against the activities of fraudsters.

Companies rent warehouses and other properties under the guise of legitimate operations and accumulate waste there without the owner's knowledge, and once the facility is filled, they cease operations and disappear

– he added.

Under the Waste Act, the holder of waste is obliged to remove it immediately from a place not intended for its storage or keeping. In the event that the person who deposited the waste illegally cannot be found, the obligation to remove the waste therefore falls on the property owner, who must bear the full cost of its disposal. It is therefore necessary to exercise extreme caution, carefully verify the companies with which contracts are concluded and regularly inspect the premises and land leased. Otherwise, the cost of disposing of such waste, which can often amount to several million zlotys, can be charged to landowners.

Limited trust and honest analysis of contracts and the people with whom we enter into them can save considerable financial hardship. It should be remembered that by accepting waste on our premises, we are taking on the huge cost of its disposal, for which an organised criminal group has enriched itself

– stressed Deputy Minister Ozdoba.

Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment Jacek Ozdoba also appealed for people to keep a close eye on their surroundings and immediately inform the Police and the Environmental Protection Inspectorate if they suspect illegal waste handling or unlawful use of the environment.

A special interactive form has been created on the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection , which allows for easy and efficient reporting, for instance, of illegal landfills

– he explained.

All that must be done is to indicate the location of the place in question and add a short description of the submission in question (and to attach a photograph, if possible). Reports may also be filed anonymously

– noted Marek Chibowski, the acting Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection.

All reports submitted electronically go directly to the Department for Counteracting Environmental Crime, which carries out a thorough analysis an decides on further action in the case.

As Deputy Minister Ozdoba added, in addition to the amendment of the Penal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences, which will significantly increase the penalties for offences against the environment, the detectability of these offences is also important.

In 2020, we managed to increase the detection of environmental crimes by more than 20% – last year, more than 600 indictments were filed against people suspected of such acts, compared to only 44 in 2015

– he said.