Waste in the Context of Combustibility – Classification Possibilities in Legal Terms

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the article is to review the possibility of classifying waste as non-combustible and combustible on the basis of the applicable Polish legal acts and to discuss the problems related to this area. Introduction: In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the number of fires in landfills in Poland. Therefore, a legislative initiative has been undertaken to tighten and complete the provisions of the law on fire protection of facilities and places where waste is collected and stored. Methodology: The basic act regulating the issues of waste storage in Poland is the Act of 14 December 2012 on waste materials. The Act divides waste into two categories: non-combustible and combustible. In reference to the act, a Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of 19 February 2020 on fire protection requirements which need to be met by construction structures or their parts and other places for collecting, storing or processing waste, in which stringent fire safety requirements were defined for fire safety of facilities where combustible waste is stored. Results: During the review and analysis of the legal acts, it was discovered that after the division into combustible and non-combustible waste, the classification rules for these two categories were not strictly defined. As a consequence, there was a problem of interpretation and, thus, discretion in classifying waste. Therefore, there was a need to review the knowledge on the possibility of classifying waste. Conclusions: The review of regulations and the state of knowledge on the principles of considering materials and products as non-combustible or com- bustible presented in the article allows to systematize the knowledge and indicates selected paths of conduct. As waste is not homogeneous materials, the Act leaves the freedom to carry out opinions on whether or not waste is considered combustible. Such an assessment is not simple, hence the need to indicate what are the possible correct ways of proceeding in this action. Keywords: combustible waste, non-combustible waste, waste classification, fire protection, landfills Type of article: review article