A revolution in packaging waste is coming. What changes await Polish producers

Talks about how to implement the Polish model of extended manufacturer’s liability have been going on in Poland for years. Although the EU directive on this subject was founded in 2018 and other member states have already introduced its models of ROP, Poland is still at the gray end of this list. Three years ago a bill was created on this subject, but it resembled a coarse tax and was strongly protested. Since then, little has happened in this matter.

Recent weeks, however, have brought a lively discussion that maybe soon we will see a fair implementation of the EU directive. And this time it will not end again. So what is this Polish version of the manufacturer’s extended responsibility? How to reconcile the interests of entrepreneurs, local governments, state administration, and above all ordinary citizens? We will talk about it at the debate of the weekly “Wprost”.

Who accepted the invitation to the debate

• Anita Sowińska, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Climate and Environment

• Gabriela Lenartowicz, MP of the Civic Platform

• Krzysztof Baczyński, President of the Board of the Association of Employers of Packaging and Products in EKO-PAK packaging

• Andrzej Gantner, Vice President of the Management Board and General Director of the Polish Federation of Food Producers

• Tadeusz Pokrywka, President of the Board of the National Chamber of Commerce for the Food Industry and Packaging

• Przemysław Kuna, Managing Director of the Foundation Foundation

• Michał Mikołajczyk, proxy, director of sales and external relations of the record

What topics will we discuss

• Why does the introduction of the Polish ROP model take so long? Why can’t the parties communicate and the government develop the final version of the implementation of the EU directive?

• Today, the burden of recycling is borne by municipalities and residents. 60 percent mixed waste, and 40 percent Selectively collected – how to reverse this proportion and relieve residents? How can ROP help with this?

• What are the expectations of all pages that ROP will affect – producers, waste management industry, local governments, state administration?

• What is the current concept of the Ministry of Climate and the Environment on the Polish model of ROP?

• How do representatives of producers and waste industries relate to this concept who would act within ROP? What does the system mean for each of them?

• What future of the Polish version of ROP? Is there a chance to agree over divisions and create a fair model that could be implemented in Poland in the near future?

The debate will take place on March 31, 2025 at 12:00 at the headquarters of the “Wprost” editorial office. The report from the debate will be available after the event on our YouTube channel directly and to read in Wprost.pl