Poland’s deputy climate minister Anita Sowińska explains how a nationwide deposit system for PET bottles could raise recycling rates but also avoids hikes to municipal waste fees.
Current PET Recycling Levels
Only about 45% of PET bottles are currently collected and recycled. A deposit system would push this figure above 90%, doubling the feedstock for recycled packaging and halving the waste that bypasses incineration or ends up in domestic furnaces.
Developing the Deposit Collection Network
The rollout of collection points is still in a transition phase, so patience is required. However, tens of thousands of shops have already joined the system, signalling growing coverage.
Consumer Handling and System Rationality
Consumers should not crush bottles to facilitate scanning. Those who complain about bringing empty bottles to the shop previously transported full, heavier bottles home—an irony that points to the system’s fairness.
Lessons from Behavioral Nudges
Any large habit shift faces criticism, as seen when seatbelt mandates first appeared. Initial resistance faded as people adopted safer practices, illustrating how deposit schemes can become normalized over time.
Regulatory Future and ROP
In 2023 Parliament adopted rules to improve the deposit system and enable its smooth operation. While it can be extended to other packaging, the government will simultaneously examine single‑use glass and promote reusable containers, and consider the Extended Producer Responsibility (ROP) framework to share responsibility.
Financial Mechanics of the Deposit System
Operators—representatives of the manufacturers—cover operating costs but operate on a not‑for‑profit basis, using revenue from recycled aluminium and PET to lower their expenses. The collected deposit money stays with operators to support the scheme, and producer responsibility will shift costs away from citizens, potentially stabilizing and eventually lowering municipal waste fees. Analysts estimate the extra cost per unit could be as low as half a grosz to a full grosz—a small increase that signals producers should shoulder waste management fees.
