Tobiszowski – transition period for lignite

Last Thursday, the Sejm passed the amended Fuel Quality Control and Supervision Act, which will remove coal sludge and flotation concentrates containing less than 85% from the retail market. charcoal. MEPs, however, have adopted amendments that plan to extend by two years, by mid-2020, the possibility of using lignite. Representatives of the Ministry of Energy explained that the changes are the result of a particular situation in Lubuskie province, where the Sieniawa mine provides consumers with ecological lignite bricks.

Commenting on the regulation adopted on Monday, Deputy Minister Tobiszowski explained that although the transition period for lignite is officially valid throughout Poland, its application should be limited to Lubusz. because in other regions, the burning of lignite in domestic furnaces has been banned by the anti-smog resolutions adopted by the Sejms. Thus, according to the deputy minister, there is no fear, thanks to the "door", that the law extends the use of lignite to individual recipients throughout the country. "The problem of working on the act was that it was impossible to exclude a single region. But we have benefited from the fact that in six voivodeships the local governments have adopted appropriate resolutions, blocking, among other things, the influx of lignite, and that the following provinces are trying to do it. But if Lubuskie does not not made such a decision, we admit the two-year transition period. Tobiszowski explains that, thanks to anti-smog resolutions, it will still be impossible to smoke in lignite kilns, for example in Silesia, Małopolskie or Greater Poland.

The Deputy Minister assured that such a solution is consistent with principles of appropriate legislation, including at the EU level. "The European Commission will have no objection, we have a notification about it" – said Tobiszowski, pointing out that the transitional period for products from the Sieniawa mine in Sieniawa Lubuska (municipality of Łagów) has been well tested by the parliamentarians of this region. unionists and mines management

"A few years ago, the mine received funds for lignite briquetting.A complete combustion system was created, powered by boilers burning these briquettes.Therefore, in the work on the law we have in a region, a system based on modern lignite was built (…) A transition period of two years is enough for them to adapt their heating system and their system "- added Tobiszowski, explaining that It was impossible to switch to the purchase of this fuel. in Lubuskie

The deputy minister assessed the adoption of the amended law on the control system and control of fuel quality by the Sejm "means above all the market order" and l & # 39; introduction of a coal certification system, including the creation of a system of quality control of coal

"There will also be a sealing on the borders of what goes into Poland We are building a system that allows us to control and know what needs to be sold on the Polish market.On the other hand, the certification of coal in the warehouses has, among other things that whoever purchases coal – especially a individual recipient – know what he's buying, "added the deputy minister

The amendment states that lower-grade fuels are coal sludge, fluffy concentrates and blends containing less than 85%. t applied to solid fuels burned in homes and in installations with a thermal power of less than 1 MW, ie in boiler rooms near residential buildings, schools and hospitals.

also introduces fuel quality certificates Buyers must obtain reliable and complete information about what they buy, and new solutions also eliminate the practice of pouring water on coal – for increase its mass. randomly in the shops. the buyer will not be controlled, and there will be no quality control of the coal on the place of its combustion. The costs of control will be borne by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection and the National Tax Authority. If the fuel does not meet the requirements, the inspection fee will be charged. The ordinance of the law specifies the methods of testing the fuel.

Thanks to new regulations, smog-forming coal waste will disappear from coal storage facilities. Entrepreneurs who do not adapt to this will face high fines and even jail time. The Minister of Energy in a special regulation will specify the specific requirements for these fuels (including the different types of coal, most often imported) and the acceptable level of deviation from these requirements