Hazardous Materials Handling — the Legal Foundations
Activities involving chemical and hazardous materials in Georgia are regulated by the Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection, which governs the use of chemical agents in the environment, the ecological requirements for products and the rules for the placement of waste. This page explains which norms apply to agricultural chemicals, how the law protects foodstuffs and widely consumed products, and where the placement and burial of waste is permitted — and where it is prohibited.
The legal regime of hazardous materials handling is built in three directions: first, the norms for the use of chemical agents in the environment, which also regulate the transport, storage and use of these substances; second, the ecological requirements for products; and third, the ecological requirements for waste, including radioactive and other hazardous waste.
Norms for the Use of Chemical Agents
The norms for the use in the environment of mineral fertilizers, plant protection products, growth stimulants and other chemical agents are established in such a way that no danger is created for human health, the world of plants and animals, or the soil. This is the fundamental safety condition to which every subsequent detailed rule is subordinated.
The norms for the use of chemical agents — including chemicals for plant protection and soil fertilization — and the rules for the transport, storage and use of these substances are developed once every 5 years and approved by the ministry by regulation, in agreement with the ministry responsible for labour, health and social protection. This means the normative basis is periodically renewed, and entities working with chemicals must follow the changes within the five year cycle. In addition, for the purposes of the optimal use, consumption, risk reduction, accounting and control of chemical substances, a unified state registry of chemical substances is established, with the procedure for its compilation determined by Georgian legislation. The registry gives the state a systematic view of what substances circulate in the country and in what quantities.
Ecological Requirements for Products
The handling of hazardous substances is not confined to the field of their use — it reaches the product itself. In the production, transport and storage of widely consumed products, the permissible limit norms of harmful impact on the environment and human health must be taken into account. This means that at every stage of the product's commercial flow — from the factory to the shop shelf — the same ecological standard applies.
A special regime applies to foodstuffs: the permissible limit norms for the quantities of chemical substances in food products are established by the procedure determined by Georgian legislation. This requirement of food safety is an instrument for the protection of health, and for the manufacturer it means that any chemical component must remain within the permissible limit — a compliance duty that accompanies the product throughout its shelf life rather than only at the moment of release.
Prevention, Collection and Placement of Waste
The requirements for waste are the third pillar of hazardous materials handling. The subject of an activity is obliged to ensure the prevention, collection, recovery and placement of waste in compliance with environmental, sanitary hygienic and epidemiological norms and rules. This obligation covers the entire cycle — from the generation of the waste to its final placement.
The localization rule for placement is strict: the placement and burial of waste provided for by legislation is permitted only in specially designated places, in compliance with environmental, sanitary hygienic and epidemiological norms and rules. The placement of radioactive and other hazardous waste takes place only in specially designated places, in compliance with environmental and sanitary hygienic norms and rules — in other words, an even narrower, specially designated infrastructure exists for this category.
The most categorical rule concerns water bodies: the placement of any waste in the sea and other water bodies is prohibited. This prohibition is absolute — it does not vary with the type of waste, its volume or its assumed harmlessness, and its violation is impermissible even with respect to household waste.
The Cross Border Dimension and Practical Consequences
Issues related to waste management, including the import, export and transit of waste, are regulated by the procedure established by Georgian legislation. This means that taking hazardous waste abroad or bringing it into the country falls under a separate, independent permitting regime, and before making decisions in this direction the study of the respective rules is essential.
In practical terms, an entity working with chemicals or hazardous waste has three checkpoints: whether only approved chemical agents are used in accordance with the established norms; whether their transport and storage follow the prescribed rules; and whether the generated waste is placed only in specially designated places. Observing these three points is at once a means of protecting the environment and of protecting oneself from liability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who approves the norms for chemical agents and how often?
The ministry develops and approves, by ordinance and once every 5 years, the norms for use and the rules for the transport, storage and use of chemical substances, in agreement with the corresponding ministry.
Where may waste be placed and buried?
Only in specially designated places, in compliance with environmental, sanitary-hygienic and epidemiological norms; radioactive and other hazardous waste — only in specially designated places.
May waste be placed into the sea?
No — placing any waste into the sea and other water bodies is prohibited; the import, export and transit of waste are regulated separately.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The lawyers of Legal.ge assist in assessing activities involving hazardous materials: we verify which norms apply to your chemicals, evaluate the rules on waste placement and cross-border operations, and draft a compliance action plan. Contact us — the risk of violating environmental requirements is managed by planning.