On Thursday, President Andrzej Duda signed an amendment to the Act on packaging and packaging waste management, which assumes postponing the start of the deposit system in Poland by nine months and introduces a number of changes aimed at tightening this system.
In accordance with the signed amendment to the Act the deposit system will enter into force in Poland on October 1, 2025. Previously, the regulations assumed its start on January 1, 2025.
At least one stationary packaging collection point in the commune
In addition to postponing the entry into force of the deposit system (to October 2025), the amendment to the Act introduces a number of other changes. It assumes, among other things, that Each commune in Poland will have to operate at least one stationary packaging collection point and packaging waste under the deposit system. Another solution included in the act is the creation of the so-called a closed deposit circulation system, i.e. collecting it throughout the entire distribution chain. This is intended to help tighten the system, eliminate the possibility of deposit embezzlement and ensure monitoring of deposit flows.
The amendment also excludes the collection of packaging for milk and dairy products from the deposit-refund system and introduces harmonization of labeling of packaging with the logo of the deposit-refund system. The amendment also adds a provision guaranteeing that the operator collecting packaging from stores must return to these stores the deposit actually paid by them.
New deposit system
The aim of the deposit system is to reduce the amount of mixed municipal waste collected by municipalities and to increase the level of recycling. Large stores with an area exceeding 200 sq m will have to collect empty packaging and return the deposit.. Smaller stores, on the other hand, will collect a deposit, but joining the packaging collection system will be voluntary.
After the deposit system is created, the deposit will be charged for each packaged beverage covered by this system introduced to the market. This deposit will also be returned to the end user via the system, without the need to present a receipt for the purchase of the drink.
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. The system is to cover three types of packaging: plastic bottles up to 3 liters, metal cans up to 1 liter, and – from January 1, 2026 – reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 liters.
During work on the amendment in the Senate, it was proposed to delay the launch of the system so that it would start from January 1, 2026. Ultimately, however, the Sejm did not support this proposal.
The work took several years
Work on the bail law lasted several years. The regulations on this matter were finally adopted by the parliament and signed by the president in 2023. However, some of the industry and stakeholders of the deposit system pointed out that the regulations were full of holes and needed to be supplemented with key elements. After the parliamentary elections, the new management of the Ministry of Climate and Environment started work on the amendment.
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