What is BDO and who does it apply to? A practical guide for companies

BDO is Database on products and packaging and waste management, a state-owned ICT system for registration, recording and reporting in the area of waste and selected marketed products. From the entrepreneur's point of view, BDO is not just a „waste register”, but a tool to tighten the entire waste management system, reduce the grey market and enable electronic settlement of environmental obligations. It is for this reason that users type into Google not only the phrase „what is BDO”, but also questions about who must register and when such an obligation arises.

Who is affected by BDO in practice

BDO is primarily concerned with those entities that manage waste or market certain products and packaging. In practice, the obligation may cover, among others, companies generating waste other than municipal waste, waste transporters, entrepreneurs keeping waste records, as well as those introducing packaged products, packaging, tyres, lubricating oils, batteries and accumulators, vehicles or electrical and electronic equipment. This means that the BDO topic does not only apply to large production plants, but also to some online shops, workshops, construction companies, service providers or importers. The mere fact of doing business, however, does not yet automatically prejudge the obligation to register.

Who does not have to register with BDO

This is one of the most important issues from a Search Intent perspective, as many users are looking not for a definition of the system, but for an answer as to whether their company is subject to the register at all. According to official information from BDO, individuals and organisational entities that are not entrepreneurs and that use waste for their own purposes, entities that carry out non-professional collection of certain waste, and entities that transport only waste generated by themselves, among others, are not subject to the entry. In practice, this means that some office, service or one-person operations will not be covered by the registration obligation if they do not market products or packaging covered by the Act and do not generate waste requiring records. Therefore, the assessment should not be based on the size of the company, but on the actual business model and the type of environmental obligations.

Why it is worth checking the BDO obligation as early as possible

For the entrepreneur, the most important thing is not only to understand what BDO is and who it applies to, but also to grasp the moment to act. Official information indicates that, in cases requiring registration on request, the entrepreneur should make an application prior to commencement of activities subject to registration. It is also worth remembering that the BDO system combines registry, record-keeping and reporting, so entry very often means further administrative obligations later on. From an SEO and content usability perspective, it is this practical information that is of most value to the user: the BDO is not a theory, but a concrete obligation that needs to be assessed at the start-up or expansion stage of the company, before formal errors and the risk of sanctions arise.

Frequently asked questions

If you would like to check whether BDO applies to your business, please contact us or go to „Contact” on the website. We will help you assess your registration obligations, sort out the paperwork and select a solution tailored to your company's specificities.