The Electronic Transport Supervision System (SENT) in Poland was originally introduced in 2017 to record the transportation of chemicals, fuel and tobacco, among others, and was primarily intended to secure the tax revenue base and reduce crime.
As of February 22nd this year, SENT is also made mandatory for shipments of waste, both to and in transit through Poland. This includes all waste covered by the Waste Shipment Regulation (EU 1013/2006).
All industry players involved in the transportation of waste to or through Poland will have to comply with the new regulations, explains Account & TFS Manager at Geminor Poland, Wojciech Oset.
- Companies involved in waste shipments will be obliged to register each shipment via the electronic PUESC platform of the Polish Ministry of Finance, which will be implemented in the SENT module offered within the PentaTAX platform. When the waste goes to Poland, the consignee will be responsible for the registration, while waste in transit through the country will be registered only by the carrier.
- In addition to the registration of the waste shipment, the carrier is required to provide location data and the driver will have a reference number," says Oset.
Tougher penalties
According to the Polish authorities, SENT will help to tighten the waste market and prevent illegal waste shipments. The Polish Ministry of Environment and Climate Change also believes that the new solution could have a positive impact on competition in the market because it brings common rules around the management and transportation of waste.
Violations of the SENT registration of waste shipments will be severely penalized. If a shipment is not correctly reported in SENT, a fine calculated at 46% of the gross value of the transported goods will be imposed, and never less than €4,350. If the carrier fails to report correctly before transportation, the company can be fined at least €2,200.
- Polish authorities want more control over waste shipments and are sending a signal that they are serious about fighting environmental crime. "This is a regulation that, in addition to the upcoming upgrade of the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR), should reduce environmental crime, but at the same time will make waste management in Europe more complex," concludes Wojciech Oset, Account & TFS Manager at Geminor Poland.
