New ecological police to have sweeping powers

The force's uniformed and armed officers will have the right to perform ID checks and halt cars for inspection. This will mark a radical departure from present practice, in which the laws are supposed to be enforced by the ecological inspectorate, which is largely toothless. As a result, Poland has found itself at the receiving end of tons of illegal waste dumped on its territory every year, a booming and lucrative business. The Border Guard estimates that close to one tenth of all trucks entering Poland is carrying illegal waste, such as tires, batteries or scrap metal. Environmental groups are rejoicing. "Environmental laws will at last be treated seriously in Poland," says Marta Majka Wiśniewska of the World Wildlife Fund. (Dziennik, p. 11) R.M.