Environmental Law Department Report | Buenos Aires Province Decree No. 251/2020: Pathogenic Waste – Provision of services and ban on price increase | Environmental Protection Agency of the city of Buenos Aires’ Resolution No. 91/2020: Closure of offices to the general public.
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Environmental Law Department Report | Buenos Aires Province Governor Decree No. 251/2020: Pathogenic Waste – Provision of services and ban on price increase | Environmental Protection Agency of the city of Buenos Aires’ Resolution No. 91/2020: Closure of offices to the general public
Dear Sir or Madam,
Buenos Aires Province Decree No. 251/2020 provides as follows:
(i) Ban on price increases. To prohibit changes in the prices, fees and/or rates charged for the provision of pathogenic waste treatment, handling, transportation, and disposal services and for the provision of laundry, reconditioning, disinfection and ironing services for washable textiles and clothing, mattresses and pillows for sanitary and/or hospital use in general, all health care services including primary attention, treatment and/or hospitalization, outpatient and vet practices, including clothing for laboratories of different specializations. Prices will be reinstated to the values prevailing on March 6, 2020, and may not be increased for ninety calendar days as from the effective date of the decree (this regulation will enter into force on April 26, 2020).
(ii) Essential goods. To include biohazard disposal bags and containers used for the transportation of pathogenic waste to storage and/or treatment facilities in the list of essential goods approved by section 2 of Decree No. 177/2020. The prices of such goods may not be increased.
(iii) Provincial Sustainable Development Agency. Periodic reports. To authorize the Provincial Sustainable Development Agency (Organismo Provincial para el Desarrollo Sostenible or OPDS) to request companies carrying out activities within the scope of the decree to submit periodic reports on their operations, capacity, the territorial scope of activities, a technology used and such other information as it may deem significant for the purposes of adopting anticipatory and preventive actions related to the public health emergency within its field of competence.
(iv) OPDS. Pathogenic waste. Exceptional procedures to obtain permits and/or authorizations. To authorize the OPDS, during the health emergency, to establish exceptional procedures to obtain permits and/or authorizations for the conduct of activities governed by Law No. 11,347, as amended, and Decree No. 4318/98. The decree describes the requirements applicable to the permits and/or authorizations to be granted (including, among others, revocation, effective terms, technical reports and visits and purchase of environmental insurance).
(v) OPDS. Monitoring. To establish that any activities within the scope of the decree will be subject to permanent monitoring, coordination, control, and supervision by the OPDS within its field of competence. Such an agency will be authorized to issue such supplementary regulations as may be necessary to attain the purpose of this measure.
(vi) Municipalities. Essential cleaning services. To encourage municipal authorities, consistently with the guidelines established by the health authorities, to guarantee within their respective territories the continued provision of essential cleaning services, in particular those related to weeding, maintenance of green spaces and fumigation.
By means of Resolution No. 91/2020 , the Environmental Protection Agency of the city of Buenos Aires (APrA) has provided that all its offices will be closed to the public while the mandatory and preventive social isolation is in effect.
This Resolution further provides that the APrA will continue to make available its exclusive electronic channels to entertain the consultations of the general public and/or receive filings virtually as provided in Resolution APRA No. 87/2020 (please see our April 8, 2020 report).
Resolution No. 91/2020 was published in the Official Bulletin of the City of Buenos Aires on April 16, 2020.
Should you require any further information on this matter please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Angeles Murgier