- The environmental impact report issued by the Basque Government to the waste management project of the company Larke 360 SL in Azkoitia does not constitute an Integrated Environmental Authorisation. The company Larke therefore needs two more permits to launch the activity: Waste management authorisation to be granted by the Basque Government and activity authorisation to be granted by the Azkoitia City Hall.
The environmental impact has been published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country dated 6 April, in the form of a Resolution, in relation to the activity: "No significant adverse effects on the environment are expected. Consequently, an ordinary environmental impact assessment is not necessary." It could therefore be thought that in order to launch the activity it will not require the Integrated Environmental Authorisation (AAI) that applies to potentially highly polluting installations.
However, according to Law 16/2002, of July 1, it is questionable that a project of this size does not have the necessary AAI. In fact, it calls for a management capacity of 183,390 tonnes per year of waste (Annex I to the Act includes activities and volumes subject to AAI).
Permits, it is important to know who should control that the activity is performed correctly and that it does not generate pollution. The AAI is provided by the Department of the Environment of the Basque Government and in the activities with AAI pollution control is in the hands of the Department of the Environment. Since this is not the way forward for this project, let us see what procedures it is going to follow now and who has to do the controls to take care of the environment.
What permissions do you need to launch Azkoitia projects?
The implementation of the waste management plant in Azkoitia will require, on the one hand, the authorisation of the waste manager Larke 360 SL. This authorization is granted by the Department of the Environment of the Basque Government and, as indicated in the aforementioned resolution, the company has already requested such authorisation.
Furthermore, the Azkoitia City Council must grant the activity licence. To this end, it is necessary that the Municipal Subsidiary Norms authorize the performance of such activities in that place. In addition, the request for the authorization of activity made by the company to the City Hall should be published in the Official Gazette of Gipuzkoa, i.e. it should be made public and a period of claims should be opened. It has not yet been published in the Official Journal.
In the event that the City Hall authorises the activity, the City Hall shall be responsible for monitoring this activity in order to avoid its possible effects on the environment.