IN 2021 MORE THAN 300 MILLION RUBLES OF UNJUSTIFIED FUNDS WERE EXCLUDED FROM TARIFFS FOR SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF THE MSW IN THE ULIANOVSK REGION

The tariff regulation Authority of the Ulyanovsk region fulfilled the order of FAS, reducing tariffs. In 2021 during an unscheduled inspection, the competition Authority revealed violations on the part of the company in pricing tariffs in the field of municipal solid waste management (MSW) for 2019-2020. Significant methodological problems were identified in distinguishing the processes of processing, neutralization, recycling and dumping of waste when setting regulated tariffs.

The regional operator received funds for its activities from tariffs, and had the opportunity to sell compost to third parties at unregulated prices, which contradicted the legislation*. In this regard, the antimonopoly Authority issued the instructions to exclude funds from the tariffs, the amount of which is comparable amounts received through the sale of compost. The inclusion of expenses for the implementation of the unregulated type of activity for the production of compost from the MSW in the tariff for the company is economically unreasonable. The FAS Russia ordered the tariff regulation authority of the Ulyanovsk region to reduce tariffs.

The Authority notes that the costs of processing, neutralization and dumping of waste are subject to inclusion in the regulated pricing of tariffs. The issue of their differentiation from disposal costs is of key importance in determining tariffs for consumers.

Thus, the work of the Authority made possible to exclude more than 300 million rubles of economically unjustified expenses from the regulated tariffs for the treatment of the MSW in the Ulyanovsk region.

For reference:

*Item 10 of the Pricing Principles in the field of municipal solid waste management, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 484 of 30.05.2016