”On 12 February 2008, PKE SA’s Łaziska power plant was entered in the register of organizations from the Voivodship of Silesia under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)”, informed the Vice-Marshall of the Voivodship of Silesia, Stanisław Dąbrowa.

Eco-Management and Audit Scheme is a part of EU’s legislation (Regulation no. 761/2001). Experts see it as a refined version of ISO 14001, since it comprises explicit requirements with respect to organization’s compliance with the legal regulations in the fields of environmental protection, actual enhancement of environmental impacts as well as publication and dissemination of the so-called environmental statements comprising information on the effects on the environment.

Compliance with the legal requirements must be certified by relevant state and local environmental protection authorities. Łaziska Power Plant has been entered under no. 3, which means it is the third plant in Silesia, which may boast the trophy.

The Vice-Marshall of the Voivodship wrote also that on 13 February the information was transmitted to the Minister of Environment, who is going to enter the power plant in the general register.

Łaziska Power Plant was invited to participate in the pilot program targeted at the implementation of EMAS in Poland under auspices of the Ministry of Environment. In the wake of implementation works, the existing environment management system was complemented with the elements required by EMAS, the managerial staff was trained and the environmental statement was prepared. In May 2007, Łaziska as the second Polish power plant, has been validated, its environmental statement approved and the plant eligibility for EMAS confirmed. The power plant’s compliance with the environmental regulations was also confirmed by the Marshall’s Office, Voivode Inspectorate of Environmental Protection as well as the municipal and poviat authorities. Thus, Łaziska power plant fulfilled the last condition to be entered in the local and consequently the national EMAS register.

(AFC)