Przemysław Kuna about the Polish ROP model: Let’s not turn the table

Szymon Krawiec, “Wprost”: proposed by the Ministry of the Climate and Environment Model Model of extended liability of the manufacturer goes in a good or bad direction?

Przemysław Kuna: This project raises a lot of controversy. As a rule, the purpose of extended manufacturer’s liability is to reduce the waste of resources and increase the effectiveness of waste management.

The ministry proposes that a state institution, which has no experience in this area, unlike the recovery organization, which has been supporting entrepreneurs in this respect for over 20 years.

Are there any alternatives? Is the only way out in this situation to release people and close the recovery organization?

Further development and evolution of this system are needed. But we also do not want the change to be based on turning the table, which is now quite stable. We understand the need to improve the financial mechanisms and the efficiency of the entire packaging and resolution system. We have a good discernment on the market. For years, we have been cooperating with all stakeholders, i.e. producers, local government officials and recycals. We are also convinced that companies manage funds better than offices. However, if the need to finance specific stakeholders, it must result clearly from the law.

What are the expectations?

If the waste management system is to develop, it should be competitive. That is why in the preamble to the new EU regulation of the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation – ed.) This will ultimately ensure the choice of entrepreneurs on whom I remind you that the obligations arising from ROP.

At this point, it is worth mentioning that packaging recovery organizations also support business in terms of the implementation of public educational campaigns and are the first place to which the products entering the market are addressing when they need help in identifying their OP duties. Ignoring this achievements would be a big loss for the Polish waste management.

Is there hope that the ministry leads to dialogue?

Such debates as this show that there is a need for further dialogue. I hope that the ministry representation will notice the legitimacy of the arguments raised by business.

At the meeting of the parliamentary subcommittee, during which the subject of extended responsibility of the manufacturer was discussed, we saw how many people from all sides – entrepreneurs, local government officials, recycles, were deeply interested in how this Polish model ROP was ultimately to look. Currently, a number of bodies are, to put it mildly, concerned, which is why a further debate on the shape of ROP is needed to take into account the diverse positions of individual stakeholders. And this clearly indicates the need for further consultations to develop optimal solutions.