Disposable glass bottles will also cover deposits? The ministry has a plan

Deputy Minister of Climate Anita Sowińska announced in an interview with PAP that she would take the initiative to include one -off glass packaging in the deposit system. Such bottles were not added to the system at the stage of work on the amendment to the Act, which shifted its start to October 1 this year.

According to the current regulations, the deposit system will start in Poland on October 1. Large shops, with an area of ​​over 200 sq m, will have to receive empty packaging and pay a deposit to customers. However, smaller stores will take a deposit, but joining the packaging collection system in their case will be voluntary. The system will cover three types of packaging: plastic bottles up to 3 liters, metal cans up to 1 liter, and also – from January 1, 2026 – glass bottles of reusable to 1.5 liters.

Therefore, the civil system will not cover glass bottles of disposable and a deposit will not be taken for them. Whether a given bottle is one -time or reusable is determined by the drink manufacturer himself.

“It is not excluded that in the future we will turn on one -off -use glass and I will definitely take such an initiative. However, this does not mean that it will be accepted, because it must be consulted” – Sowińska informed PAP.

As the deputy head of the climate and the environment reminded, during the work on the Act on the Caurition, before the president signed it in 2023, there were voices – above all small stores – so as not to include a one -time glass in the system. The stores explained then that they would not be able to logistically deal with the collection of such packaging in the deposit system. Hence the lack of these bottles in the deposit system.

The deputy minister asked if the addition of disposable glass to the deposit system is associated with the need to apologize to another amendment to the Act on packaging and packaging waste, said that this topic is currently analyzed.

“It is not excluded that simply operators (deposit system – PAP) can do it,” she added.

Disposable glass bottles were not added to the Act on the deposit system also at the stage of work on its amendment in 2024, after the change of power. As Paweł Marciniak from the Department of Education and Communication in the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage explained, while working on the amendment, the topic was raised, but met with the same opinion of stores.

“Certainly what I would like to do is strengthen reusable glass and strive for packaging standardization,” said Anita Sowińska in an interview with PAP.

MKIŚ on its website explains that “multiple -use glass packaging is a key element bringing closer transition to a closed circuit economy.” He adds that there is a need for activities aimed at popularizing the use of this type of packaging.

According to the ministry, one glass return bottle can replace approximately 20 one -time bottles. The ministry also reports that in Germany the glass bottle is returned to circulation on average 45 times, and in Finland is filled on average 33 times before it rehearse.

The deposit for plastic bottles and metal cans will be 50 groszy per item, for glass bottles of reusable it will be PLN 1. The Cause System will not be covered by packaging after milk, yogurt or other drinking dairy products. They were excluded from the system after industry appeals as part of the amendment to the Act in 2024.

The purpose of the depression system is to reduce the amount of mixed municipal waste collected by municipalities and increase the level of recycling.

The deposit will be charged from each drink launched on the market in a package covered by this system. The end of this deposit to the end user will also take place using the system, without the need to show the receipt of the drink. Bottles and cans can be returned to machines set, e.g. before or inside stores or as a manual collection. The packaging should be empty, they cannot be crushed and must have a clear bar code on the label.

The unsuccessful deposit will be allocated to financing the bail system. The deposit is to encourage you to return packaging and increase the amount of reused and processed raw materials to create packaging.

Work on the bail act lasted several years. The provisions on this matter were finally adopted by the Parliament and signed by the president in 2023. Part of the industry, the stakeholders of the bail system, pointed out, however, that the regulations are leaky and need to be supplemented with key elements for them. After the parliamentary elections, the new management of the Ministry of Climate and Environment undertook to amend the act.

Bartłomiej P. Pawlak (PAP)

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