Ljubljana - The government adopted on Thursday a new decree on packaging and waste packaging under which all producers of packaging, not just those that put more than 15 tonnes of packaging on the market in Slovenia annually, are liable for waste treatment fees.

Apart from abolishing the 15-tonne threshold, the decree introduces the possibility of a lump sum payment for companies that put less than a tonne of packaging on the market per year.

The new rules are deigned to prevent the events of last year, when the waste packaging treatment had to be covered by the state budget after waste treatment companies refused to take on any more packaging than what was in their quotas.

The decree is an implementation document under the changes to the environment protection act passed in October 2020.

It lays down the rules and conditions for packaging production, use, market placement and distribution in Slovenia, as well as the rules of waste packaging treatment, with the main objective being to prevent the waste from piling up.

It also defines the rules and conditions for reuse, collection, recycling and other processing procedures, which is seen as a step toward circular economy, the Environment Ministry said after the government session.

Not only will producers have to pay for the packaging treatment, they will also have to ensure that the waste packaging accumulated in Slovenia be treated appropriately. They will have the option of doing this individually or together.

The decree also introduces changes to the waste packaging treatment system, especially in terms of regular waste packaging pickups from utility services, sufficient treatment capacities, and appropriate sorting procedures.