Every year, 4 million tons of virgin plastic are introduced to the Polish market. Poland is the only country in Europe that hesitates to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for this type of waste, which is harmful to the environment. As experts point out, not only is this situation inconsistent with European directives, but it also poses a significant burden on the natural environment and the country’s budget. Poland pays fines amounting to two billion Polish złotys annually for introducing plastic packaging waste that has not been recycled into the market.
Poland imports huge amounts of primary plastic, particularly from Russia. Despite the embargo on Russian raw materials, which is in effect in almost all European countries, this plastic enters the Polish market, becoming a cheaper alternative to local materials. According to the Association “Polish Recycling”, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, almost 40% of the businesses that are members of this organization have encountered cheap, primary raw materials from Russia available on the market.
The presence of this competitive raw material decreases manufacturers’ demand for Polish regranulate, a material produced through the recycling process. New plastic significantly hinders the possibility of reprocessing waste in the country, leading to high fines and charges for non-compliance with EU standards to reduce the amount of plastic introduced into the environment.
According to data published by Plastics Europe in the “Plastics – Facts 2022” report, Poland is among the leaders of European Union countries in terms of demand for virgin plastics. In 2021 in the European Union, the demand for plastics not derived from recycling amounted to 50.3 million tons, with Poland accounting for around 4 million tons of plastic, which represents over 7.5% of the total demand of all EU countries. This is a staggering figure, considering that the majority of member countries make efforts to reduce plastic use and promote recycling.
The current situation is dire. Instead of meeting EU standards and reducing the introduction of plastic products into the environment, Poland continues with this practice. Moreover, cheap virgin plastic from Russia, but also from the Middle East, frequently imported by intermediaries, floods our country, which is already overwhelmed with waste needing management.
The introduction of new plastic, rather than regranulate, generates massive amounts of waste that require management while burdening the natural environment.
The introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) provides a possible solution to these problems. The implementation of EPR would make the use of recyclable materials preferable for producers rather than virgin plastic. This would increase demand for regranulate, which would in turn improve environmental protection. By the guidelines of the Polish project Extended Producer Responsibility, by 2026, the minimum content of plastic recyclates should be 30%, and a decade later as much as 65%.
The implementation of EPR would also positively impact the country’s budget by reducing the plastic tax. Extended Producer Responsibility could also be considered an anti-inflationary measure that stimulates the market by increasing demand for secondary raw materials derived from waste.
Actions at a global, but above all local level, become essential as the production of plastic worldwide has increased by 18,300% over the past 65 years, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency. Recently, President Andrzej Duda signed a law introducing a deposit system, which is expected to encourage Poles, incentivized by the return of costs for plastic packaging, to contribute to increasing the level of recycling in the country. However, without functioning EPR regulations, this solution still amounts to a drop in the ocean of needs for effective environmental protection.
