Deposit System concerns Rise as Municipalities Face Potential Waste Fee Increases
WARSAW - Poland’s planned deposit system for beverage packaging is sparking concern among local governments, who fear the scheme could lead to increased waste management costs and, ultimately, higher garbage fees for residents. The Entrepreneurs’ council has issued an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, warning the system is “a cuckoo’s egg that will bring more harm than good.”
The deposit system, intended to boost recycling rates, requires consumers to pay a deposit on bottles and cans, refundable upon return. Municipalities are worried that even with the deposit incentive, a meaningful volume of packaging will still end up in standard waste streams, requiring continued – and potentially expanded – sorting and processing. this could offset any revenue gained from the deposit refunds and necessitate increases in local waste collection fees to cover the added costs. The Council argues the system fails to account for the existing, functioning municipal waste collection infrastructure and could disrupt established recycling processes.
