It's time to face serious challenges in waste management to meet EU recycling requirements and minimize the negative impact on the environment. Since modernity demands innovation, and every problem ceases to be a problem and becomes a challenge, I can safely start this text with the sentence: "modern Polish cities face numerous challenges in waste management."
Recycling in the European Union - directives... or just common sense?
By 2035, according to the European Union Directive, all member countries should achieve a 65% level of waste recycling[1]. In Poland, of the municipal waste collected and collected in 2022, 61% of municipal waste generated was allocated for recovery, of which 27% was allocated for recycling. Although Poland has one of the lowest ratios of average municipal waste generated per capita among European countries, it is worth mentioning that in 2022 we generated 13,420 thousand tons of municipal waste, giving a weight comparable to that of... almost 700 National Stadiums[2]. That's not a small amount, is it?
Municipal waste generated by management method in European countries in 2021
© Central Statistical Office, Department of Agriculture and Environment
Garbage, then, is quite a challenge. The system of waste management in Poland, both municipal and post-consumer, shows serious irregularities that promote the development of the "gray zone." Cases of illegal waste processing and the lack of effective monitoring and management of the waste market lead to significant financial losses for the state. Particularly worrying is the failure to achieve the targeted levels of recycling and preparation for reuse of waste, which threatens the achievement of future goals related to a closed-loop economy.
country divided
- waste management in Poland
If we dive a little deeper into the garbage pool, we find that our country shows strong differentiation. It's mainly rural municipalities that litter less (at least that's according to available CSO data). Perhaps this is due to the easier possibility of sorting (more space for buckets) or the greater responsibility for waste and fines, fees for not segregating. The garbage average for Poland is 355 kg per capita per year. In 2022, slightly more than a quarter of municipalities collected less than 200 kg of municipal waste per capita. For 60% of municipalities, the amount of waste generated was between 200-400 kg per capita. In contrast, the largest amounts of municipal waste are generated... in tourist municipalities.
The problem here is not only the quantity, but also the quality of garbage. Many Polish cities struggle with a low level of waste segregation, which ranges from 34% to 58%, which directly affects the effectiveness of recycling[3]. The low quality of segregation is particularly evident in large cities with multi-family housing, where residents often share common waste collection sites, leading to a dispersion of responsibility.
tourist hullabaloo
- tourists litter the most?!
The trash exam is not met mainly by tourist cities. There are localities in Poland where more than two tons of garbage per inhabitant per year, mainly due to tourism. Wladyslawowo, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists during the summer season, is one example
Tourist destinations are often more littered, a result of mass tourism and the irresponsibility of some visitors. Tourists, especially in popular destinations, often do not pay enough attention to maintaining order and observing social norms. Tourism is a major contributor to waste generation, with estimates suggesting that tourists produce four to eight percent of global waste, or about 1.3 billion tons per year[4]. In some areas , tourists can generate up to twice as much waste as local residents, putting enormous pressure on local waste management systems. The hotel sector, which serves numerous guests, also generates significant amounts of wasted food. As if that weren't enough, hotels can contribute to further degradation by improperly handling wastewater and chemical waste.
Garbage in one of Krakow's blocks of flats
photo sent from one of the observers, private archive of the author
expensive and difficult
- recycling in Poland
The Supreme Audit Office bears in its document that a significant challenge is the need to meet the challenges of the set targets based on data. Those obtained from the Central Statistical Office, in light of the assumptions set for recovery, including recycling of municipal waste, indicate that Poland is failing to achieve the assumed levels[5]. According to the 2021 document, the necessary conditions for monitoring the waste market and managing it properly have not been created. Poland has not fully transposed the waste package, even though the deadline was July 5, 2020. This limited the country's chances of preparing the necessary infrastructure to meet its targets and exposed it to financial penalties imposed by the EU.
In 2018, according to experts' calculations, the shadow economy cost the state more than PLN 750 million annually in lost taxes (VAT, CIT, PIT). An audit by the Supreme Audit Office (NIK) revealed irregularities totaling more than PLN 639 million, most of which involved the Warsaw City Hall[6].
Existing problems in waste management are also related to the failure to implement the EU's "waste package" in a timely manner and insufficient supervision of municipal waste handling in the audited municipalities. Inefficient waste management contributes to increased costs, which ultimately burden residents.
There are numerous omissions at the level of public administration, including the lack of specialized units for environmental control and ineffective supervision of recovery organizations and municipal waste collectors. The BDO information system, which was supposed to be used to monitor the waste market, has malfunctioned, further hindering proper management and control in this area[7].
effective solutions in waste management
Co-financing of projects from European and national funds can be key to effective modernization of waste management systems. The most effective solutions in waste management include several key elements that significantly improve waste management and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Extended producer responsibility (ROP) for recycling
The first of these elements is extended producer responsibility (ROP). The ROP system obliges manufacturers to manage the life cycle of their products, including recycling them at the end of their useful life. The implementation of this system is one of the most important mechanisms that can increase the efficiency of waste management. With ROP, manufacturers are forced to bear part of the cost of recycling and disposing of their products, which motivates them to design greener and more easily recyclable goods. Consequently, manufacturers' responsibility for waste does not end at the sales stage, but extends throughout the product's life cycle, significantly reducing the amount of waste going to landfills[8].
Closed-loop raw materials economy (GOZ)
Another element is the closed-loop economy (GOZ), which promotes minimizing waste and maximizing the use of raw materials through recycling and reuse. The concept is one of the priorities of EU environmental policy. A closed-loop economy seeks to reduce the negative impact of human activity on the environment by reducing waste and pollution. The implementation of GOZ in Polish cities requires changes not only in infrastructure and waste management systems, but also in social awareness and consumer attitudes.
A trash can by one of Krakow's ring roads
© Magdalena Milert
integrated systems to increase waste collection efficiency
Integrated waste collection systems should also be added to the "to do" list. Improving waste collection and segregation processes increases waste quality and recycling efficiency. Well-organized collection systems that take into account different types of waste allow better use of recyclables and reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. In cities where such systems are well developed, higher recycling rates and lower waste management costs are observed.
Public education on recycling
An equally important element, is of course - public education. Increasing residents' awareness of waste segregation and reduction is key to improving the efficiency of the waste management system. Environmental education plays a fundamental role in shaping society's pro-environmental attitudes. Thanks to it, residents are more aware of the impact of their actions on the environment, which leads to better compliance with waste segregation and reduction of waste. Educational programs and information campaigns are essential for the successful implementation of a closed-loop economy (Institute of Public Affairs, 2023).
Development of waste processing infrastructure
Last, but not least, is the development of waste processing infrastructure. New facilities are required to meet EU standards and increase recycling efficiency. In cities such as Warsaw, Wroclaw and Lodz, there are modern processing facilities that try to meet these requirements, but there is still a need for further development and modernization[9].
a word of conclusion
Yes, waste management in Polish cities is a challenging process. Yes, we need innovation. Above all, however, we seriously need to introduce stable regulations and bet on the quality of waste segregation and recycling education in order to solve these problems at all.
Magdalena Milert
[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/pl/article/20180328STO00751/zrownowazone-zarzadzanie-odpadami-dzialania-ue
[2] Given the available data, it can be estimated that the total weight of the National Stadium is about 20,000 tons, but it could be higher, given the additional structural elements and materials used in the construction.
[3] Gluszynski, P., Kobylinska, A., & Chodkiewicz, E. (2023). Challenges of municipal waste management in municipalities. Institute of Public Affairs. ISBN 978-83-7689-447-8.
[4] https://resource.co/article/managing-waste-tourist-cities-2023
[5] Supreme Audit Office. (2021). Information on the results of the audit: Functioning of the system of municipal and post-consumer waste management and transboundary waste shipments (Record No. 117/2021/P/20/045/KSI, SI.430.005.2021). Department of Environment.
[6] https://www.nik.gov.pl/aktualnosci/smieciowe-bezholowie.html
[7] More than half of the BDO system users who participated in a survey conducted by Interzero (formerly Interseroh) in 2020 negatively evaluated its functionalities. For: https://www.teraz-srodowisko.pl/aktualnosci/BDO-platforma-odpadowa-digitalizacja-Interzero-Aleksandra-Mikiel-12588.html
[8] Threats to the development of the waste management sector. (2023). https://www.teraz-srodowisko.pl/aktualnosci/zagrozenia-dla-rozwoju-sektora-gospodarki-odpadami-apel-14765.html
[9] Supreme Audit Office. (2023). The garbage no-huddle. https://www.nik.gov.pl/aktualnosci/smieciowe-bezholowie.html
