Record increases in garbage fees. Residents pay more and more

In many municipalities in Poland, fees for waste collection and management are increasing at an exponential rate. An example is the commune of Kutno, where in 2014 residents paid PLN 10 per month per person. From January 1, 2025, the rate will increase to PLN 44, which means an increase of 340%.

An even more drastic increase was recorded in Radlin. In 2014, the fee was PLN 6, and from 2025, residents will pay as much as PLN 44 per month – an increase of over 600% in 11 years.

Reasons for the increases

Local governments justify the increases with the rising costs of waste collection and management, which are influenced by, among others:

• higher fuel prices,

• increase in the minimum wage,

• inflation,

• increase in the marshal’s fee for waste storage,

• a decrease in the number of inhabitants, which reduces revenues from “waste” fees.

New rates in Kutno

From 2025, residents of the Kutno commune will pay PLN 44 per month for waste collection if they do not compost bio-waste. For people using home composters, the fee will be PLN 33, which means a 25% discount. The commune authorities appeal for proper segregation of waste and composting of bio-waste to reduce costs.

The Kutno commune authorities emphasize that waste segregation is crucial to reducing waste management costs. They also remind us of the need to keep public areas clean and avoid littering roadsides, ditches, bus stops and undeveloped plots.

Comparison with other industries

Waste fee increases are breaking records. Over the last dozen or so years, it is difficult to find another field where prices have increased by several hundred percent. In communes such as Kutno and Radlin, the scale of increases shows how big a burden waste management poses for residents.