Polish environmental police

The State Environment Protection Inspectorate is a part of the state administration. It supervises the observing of the environmental regulations and monitors the environment. It is controlled by the Ministry of Protection of the Environment, Natural Resources and Forestry.

A part of the Inspectorate (PIOS) is constituted by the regional (voivod) Environment Protection Inspections (WIOS), often referred to as the environmental police. They are authorized to enter the enterprises 24 hours a day. Such inspections are not pre-announced. The inspectors are entitled to view documents, hear the testimonies and publish the data collected during the inspection that relate to the subject of control. The inspector is entitled to take samples and perform the control. Unfortunately, there is not enough quality measurement devices.

As a result of the control, the inspector may order the company to eliminate the causes of the pollution in fixed time, fine the company or even ban the activity causing the pollution. The company may appeal to the local government which decides about its fate.

In extreme cases the inspectorate may address the prosecution services to proceed.

WIOS is an institution anyone can complain to. It is obliged to react quickly and intervents, it also cooperates with independent ecological movements.