The obligation to collect milk and dairy product packaging under the deposit system will be postponed to 2026, according to the draft law relating to the operation of the deposit system published on Tuesday. Representatives of the beverage industry and trade previously called for excluding milk and milk drink packaging from the deposit system. In their opinion, collecting such packaging could result in “treating yourself with a biological bomb.”
On Tuesday, a draft amendment to the Act on packaging and packaging waste management was published on the website of the Government Legislation Center (RCL). It refers to the functioning of the deposit system. The preparation of the project was previously announced by the Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, Anita Sowińska.
Postponement of the entry into force of the regulations
The new regulations include, among other things, postponing the obligation to collect milk and dairy product packaging until 2026. This was announced earlier in an interview with the business editorial team of tvn24.pl, Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment Anita Sowińska.
Representatives of the beverage industry and trade had previously asked the government to exclude milk and milk drink packaging from the deposit system. In their opinion, collecting such packaging may result in “treating yourself with a biological bomb.”
Deposit system for beverage packagingPAP/ Mateusz Krymski
The deposit system in Poland
The deposit system in Poland is to start operating in 2025. It will include plastic, metal and glass containers. For single-use plastic beverage bottles with a capacity of up to three liters and metal cans with a capacity of up to one liter, the deposit will be 50 cents. Its aim is to reduce the amount of mixed municipal waste collected by municipalities and increase the level of recycling.
Large stores with an area of over 200 square meters will have to collect empty packaging and return the deposit, while smaller ones will be able to join the system voluntarily, although they will also collect the deposit. Unclaimed deposit will be used to finance the deposit system.
The deposit is intended to encourage the return of packaging and increase the amount of reused and processed raw materials used to produce packaging.
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