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A Loophole in the Deposit Refund System. The Deputy Minister of Climate Wants to Include Single-Use Glass Bottles
The deposit-refund scheme has yet to commence in Poland, yet proposals are already surfacing to broaden its scope. Deputy Minister of Climate Anita Sowińska declared her intention to advocate for the inclusion of single-use glass bottles in the scheme. At present, these bottles are excluded from the deposit-refund initiative due to retailers’ concerns over the challenges of collecting them.
According to existing regulations, a deposit-refund system is set to begin in Poland on October 1st. Large retail outlets, exceeding 200 square meters in size, will be obligated to gather empty packaging and refund customers the deposit. Conversely, smaller shops will impose a deposit, although participation in the collection system will be optional. The system will encompass three categories of packaging: plastic bottles up to 3 liters, metal cans up to 1 liter, and – starting January 1st, 2026 – reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 liters.
A deposit scheme excluding single-use glass bottles
Thus, the deposit scheme will not extend to single-use glass bottles, and no deposit will be required for them. The classification of a bottle as single-use or reusable is determined by the beverage manufacturer.
„It’s possible that we will incorporate single-use glass in the future, and I will certainly pursue such an initiative. However, this doesn’t guarantee acceptance, as it must undergo consultation,” Sowińska informed PAP.
As the deputy leader of the Ministry of Climate and Environment noted, during the development of the deposit-refund system legislation, even prior to its presidential endorsement in 2023, there were requests – predominantly from small retailers – to exclude disposable glass from the program. Retailers cited their inability to manage the logistical aspect of collecting such packaging under the deposit-refund framework. Consequently, these bottles are not part of the deposit-refund initiative.
When asked if the inclusion of disposable glass in the deposit system would necessitate another amendment to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Act, the Deputy Minister remarked that this matter is currently under review. „It’s not out of the question that the operators (of the deposit system – ed.) could simply handle this,” she added.
Disposable glass bottles were not integrated into the deposit system legislation even during the 2024 amendment phase, following the government transition. Paweł Marciniak from the Department of Education and Communication at the Ministry of Culture and Environment clarified to PAP that this issue was raised during the amendment discussions, but received the same response from retailers.
Read more: The Deposit System: Everything You Need to Know >>>
– What I would certainly like to achieve is to enhance the use of reusable glass and work towards the standardization of packaging – stated Anita Sowińska in an interview with PAP.
On its website, the Ministry of Culture and Environmental Protection notes that „reusable glass packaging is a crucial component in facilitating the shift towards a circular economy.” It emphasizes the necessity of initiatives to promote the adoption of this form of packaging.
As per the ministry, one returnable glass bottle can substitute approximately 20 single-use bottles. Additionally, the ministry reports that in Germany, a glass bottle is reused an average of 45 times, and in Finland, it is refilled around 33 times before being recycled.
The deposit for plastic bottles and metal cans will be set at 50 groszy each, while the deposit for reusable glass bottles will be 1 złoty. Containers for milk, yogurt, or other drinkable dairy products will not fall under the deposit system. These were excluded from the system following industry requests during the 2024 amendment to the law.
New deposit scheme
The objective of the deposit system is to minimize the volume of mixed municipal waste collected by local authorities and to boost recycling rates.
A deposit will be charged for every beverage introduced to the market in packaging covered by this system. This deposit will also be refunded to the end user through the system, without the necessity of presenting a receipt. Bottles and cans can be returned to machines located, for instance, outside or inside stores, or via manual collection. Packaging must be empty, not crushed, and must feature a legible barcode on the label.
Unclaimed deposits will be utilized to finance the deposit system. The deposit aims to promote the return of packaging and enhance the quantity of reused and recycled materials used in packaging production.
Efforts to establish the deposit law took several years. The regulations were ultimately passed by Parliament and signed by the President in 2023. However, certain industry representatives within the deposit system highlighted that the regulations contained gaps and needed key elements to be supplemented. Following the parliamentary elections, the new leadership of the Ministry of Climate and Environment committed to revising the law.
