Decree of 3 July 2018 containing rules on activities in the physical living environment.

This Decree, implementing provisions of Environment and Planning Act and of Environmental Management Act, and based on provisions of the Fertilisers Act, in compliance with International Law obligations and treaties binding on the Netherlands, concerns with environmentally harmful and polluting activities, discharge activities into a surface water body and into a water treatment plant, and also applies in the Exclusive Economic Zone. This Decree contains definitions of the following terms for its application: natural gas; classification system of dangerous substances; oil; used oil; waste co-incineration plant; asbestos; commercial waste; petrol storage tank; petrol transfer installation; biocides and biocidal products; organically grown crops; agricultural land and arable land; dioxins and furans; drainage water; soil quality recognition; emission limit value; noise-sensitive area; genetically modified organism; plant protection product; renewable energy; household waste; domestic wastewater; invasive alien species; fertilisers; environmental statement soil quality; environmental pollution; recycling; soil remediation; disposal of waste; sewerage system. The Decree aims at achieving the following purposes: protecting human health and the environment from environmental pollution; protecting and improving the quality of air, soil and the chemical and ecological quality of water system; ensuring efficient use of energy and raw materials, and efficient waste management; preventing or limiting noise nuisance and any other nuisance; protecting the effective operation of wastewater management facilities; strengthening prevention and limitation of flooding, water nuisance and water scarcity; ensuring the fulfilment of social functions by water systems.
This Decree provides for: appointment of competent authority for each activity relating to environmental pollution, including: water board management and purification; issuance of environmental permits; data collection and management; general rules on discharge activities at a water purification plant; energy use and designation of environmentally harmful activities; refrigeration installation with carbon dioxide; storage of solid mineral inorganic fertilisers; storage, mixing, separation and compaction of commercial waste or hazardous waste prior to collection or delivery; disposal of industrial waste or hazardous waste; use of fertilisers and environmental harmful consequences on the soil; refining of crude oil and gas and environmental harmful consequences; gasification or liquefaction of coal or other fuel; disposal of carcasses and animal waste; preparation of drinking water for the public drinking water supply; environmental polluting activities in the agricultural, horticultural and fisheries sector, including growing and breeding aquatic plants or aquatic animals; harmful activities concerning the mining sector; classification and list of hazardous substances.
The Decree also concerns: modules and documents relating to environmental harmful activities; soil quality investigation and monitoring; cost-benefit analysis of energy efficiency; activities near water management works managed by the government; water abstraction; activities in the North Sea, including mining, excavation, offshore dumping; activities involving nature, including protection of habitats, protection of wild flora and fauna, hunting and hunting methods management, issuance of hunting permits, introduction or spread of invasive alien species; prohibition of whaling; activities involving timber products; land development activities; activities concerning preservation of cultural heritage; groundwater extractions and excavations on land and in regional waters; dumping and discharge of waste from ships in inland waters.