Law on Pollution (2001)

This Law regulates pollution. Its purpose is to prevent or reduce harm caused to human health, property, or the environment due to pollution, to eliminate the consequences of harm caused, as well as to prevent pollution resulting from polluting activities or, if it is impossible, reduce emission into soil, water, and air; to prevent or, if it is impossible, reduce the use of non-renewable natural resources and energy when performing polluting activities; to prevent or, if it is impossible, reduce the generation of waste; to ensure ascertaining of polluted and potentially polluted sites in the territory of the State and registration thereof; to specify measures for investigation of polluted and potentially polluted sites and remediation of polluted sites; to specify the persons who shall cover expenses related to investigation of polluted and potentially polluted sites and remediation of polluted sites; to prevent or reduce the effects of environmental noise on human beings; to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the activities referred to in Annexes 2 and 4 to this Law and to increase removal of carbon dioxide from the activities referred to in Part II of Annex 4 to this Law, taking into account cost efficiency, ensuring participation in the European Union Emissions Trading System, and fulfilling the commitments of Latvia in relation to greenhouse gas emissions reduction and removal of carbon dioxide; to specify the right of each natural person and legal person, as well as the associations, organisations and groups thereof to participate in the decision-making process in relation to the issuing of permits for the performance of polluting activities or the review of such permits, as well as in relation to the division and allocation of greenhouse gas allowances; and to prevent or, where impossible, restrict odours caused by polluting activities. This Law determines the requirements which shall be taken into account by operators and aircraft operators in the area of pollution prevention and control, and the procedures for the prevention and control of pollution, as well as the requirements to be taken into account when initiating, performing, and discontinuing polluting activities; the requirements to be taken into account when issuing permits for the performance of polluting activities and the use of water, as well as the procedures for the provision of information regarding polluting activities the performance of which does not require a permit; the procedures for the determination of the environmental quality requirements; the procedures for determining the emission limit value of specific substances, the conditions for a polluting activity, as well as other restrictions referring to the performance of polluting activities; the procedures for ascertaining, registration, investigation, and remediation of polluted sites; the conditions for the supervision of polluting activities, the control and monitoring of polluting activities, as well as the procedures by which the public shall be informed regarding such activities; the requirements to be taken into account upon issuing greenhouse gas emission permits, as well as upon granting and auctioning allowances; the requirements to be conformed to by aircraft operators in the field of greenhouse gas emission control; the requirements in relation to activities with allowances and the conditions for the development of a plan for the allocation of allowances; the procedures for the specification of highly sensitive territories, including the requirements in relation to the treatment of city and other municipal waste water, as well as the protection of water and soil in the relevant territories; the requirements, specified for equipment and products containing chemical substances. This Law shall also apply to the mobile sources of pollution stipulated by the Cabinet. This Law determines the objectives for the reduction of emissions of air polluting substances, as well as the procedures for the development of the action programme for the reduction of emissions and recording the emission of air polluting substances. Activities with radioactive substances, radioactive waste, sources of ionising radiation and genetically modified organisms shall be governed by other laws and regulations. This Law provides for the conditions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from other sources of greenhouse gas emissions and for the fulfilment of the commitments of greenhouse gas emissions reduction referred to in this Law; for the removal of carbon dioxide from the land use, land-use change and forestry activities referred to in Part II of Annex 4 to this Law and for the fulfilment of the commitments referred to in this Law in relation to removal of carbon dioxide. This Law determines the requirements for the monitoring, reporting, and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport carried out in accordance with Regulation No 2015/757.