Soils Act.

This Act provides for the prevention of soil degradation and damage to soil functions, protection of soil functions, and for the restoration of damaged soil functions.The Minister of Environment and Water, the Minister of Agriculture and Food, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works shall be responsible for implementing the State policy for soil protection, sustainable use and restoration at a national level. Functions of these management bodies are outlined in the text.The Act define processes which degrade soil, which include erosion, acidification, siltation, compaction, organic matter decline, contamination, sealing and landslides. For the purpose of containment of these processes, the Act prohibits a number of activities listed in the text.The Act provides for the inventory and survey of areas with degraded soils and for the restoration of damaged soil functions. It further develops a National Programme for Soil Protection, Sustainable Use and Restoration.The Act further provides for: soil monitoring to analyze the current conditions of soils, identify negative processes ahead of time and forecast their development; the control over soil protection, sustainable use and restoration; administrative measures and penalties; etc.

Implemented by: Regulation No. 4 of 12 January 2009 on soil monitoring. (2009-03-19)
Implemented by: Regulation No. 3 of 1 August 2008 on the norms for the permissible content of harmful substances in soils. (2008-08-12)
Implemented by: Regulation on the order and method of inventory, studies and carrying out maintenance of the necessary restoration activities on areas with damaged soils. (2009-07-23)
Repeals: Protection of Waters and Soil against Pollution Act. (1996)