(the text below is based on the chapter Management of hazardous substances published in yearbook Prague Environment 2005)
Control of placing of hazardous substances and preparations on the market
As the Czech Republic joined the European Union legislation concerning the placing of chemicals and chemical preparations on the market was harmonised with the European Communities legislation and the Act No. 356/2003 Code on chemicals and chemical preparations and amending certain other acts came into effect, which was then in significant extent amended by the Act No. 345/2005 Code.
The term of primary distributor is newly introduced, which shall mean for the purposes of this act the distributor, which as the first person places into circulation a chemical of preparation that were manufactured on or imported onto the territory of other Member State of European Union. The import shall mean to release the chemicals or preparations from countries outside the European Union into the custom regime of free circulation, storage in custom warehouse, or into active upgrading contact, processing under custom supervision, or into temporary use. Another important change was carried out in remedial measures and administrative misconduct. The fact that the hazardous chemicals and preparations management is fully under the regime of the act on protection of public health.
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Prague City Hall (OOP MHMP), as the competent authority of public administration, has been carrying out control of compliance with provisions of the act on chemicals by legal and physical entities being authorised for performing business on the territory of the City of Prague.
In the period from 15 September 2005 to 15 September 2006 the officers of the Department of Waste Management of OOP MHMP checked in total 72 companies, which produce, import, export, or distribute hazardous chemicals and chemical preparations and have their registered office, or operating premises on the territory of the City of Prague.
The overview gives structured list of the controlled companies sorted by their core business activity. It was found during the inspection in eleven cases that the company is solely a mediator of the hazardous chemicals import, or imports hazardous chemicals for its own consumption, or potentially it has already terminated or suspended its activities. This means that their activities are not subject to the scope of the act on chemicals.
| Inspections pursuant to the Act No. 356/2003 Code in valid wording | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturers | 5 |
| Exporters | 1 |
| Importers | 1 |
| Primary distributors | 28 |
| Distributors | 26 |
| Others | |
| - Mediators | 4 |
| - Terminated activities | 5 |
| - Imported for own consumption | 2 |
Source: OOP MHMP
The companies rectified the deficiencies found at inspections within prescribed periods.
The officers of the OOP MHMP also cooperate with the Department of Crisis Management of the Prague City Hall on the developing of background documents for the classification of companies pursuant to the Act No. 59/2006 Code on major accidents prevention.
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