The deposit system in Poland – most essential information for entrepreneurs

The deposit system will be implemented in Poland on January 1, 2025. Its main goal is to promote recycling by motivating consumers to return used bottles and cans and companies that place these packaging on the market to collect them. This initiative aims to reduce waste, protect the environment, and reuse raw materials. What do you need to know about the deposit system in Poland?

How does the deposit system in Poland work?

In practice, the deposit system means that consumers pay an additional fee (deposit) when purchasing products in specific packaging. This deposit is refunded when the packaging is returned to the collection point. This approach encourages consumers to dispose of used packaging responsibly, ultimately contributing to increasing recycling levels.

The new regulations impose on producers, importers, and brand owners the obligation to collect packaging and achieve minimum levels of selective collection as specified in the rules. Retail stores will collect and return deposits and physically collect packaging from consumers. Cooperation with the deposit system operator will become essential for the entire process to function correctly.

Important: The deposit system will only apply to packaging marked as “returnable”—not all of it, but this brings us to the next point, the issue of the production of returnable packaging.

Fees under the deposit system from 2025/2026 and returnable packaging

The main challenge when introducing a new deposit system is to switch to producing returnable rather than non-returnable packaging.

From 2025, an environmental fee of PLN 10 per kilogram will apply for placing old packaging on the market. Originally, it was supposed to be a higher amount, but the project was modified, and the fee will only be significantly increased (PLN 1 per kilogram, from 2027 PLN 5 per kilogram).

Due to the relatively low environmental fee in 2025, the market expects a significant increase in the production of returnable packaging only in 2026, when the cost will be higher.

The deposit system in Poland. The Act in a nutshell

• Program start: January 1, 2025
• Minimum collection levels:
• 77% in 2025,
• 81% in 2026,
• 84% in 2027,
• 87% in 2028,
• 90% in 2029 and beyond.

• Decentralization—Each entrepreneur introducing products to the market can establish its own entity dealing with packaging collection; there are no top-down bodies dealing with waste collection.
• There is no obligation to present a receipt—the consumer can return the packaging at any collection point without having to show proof of purchase.

Deposit system – draft act. Responsibilities and challenges for companies and sellers

The obligations of manufacturers and retailers are as follows.

Manufacturers, importers and brand owners

Companies will have to:

• Conduct packaging collection in accordance with the minimum levels set, subject to paying a product fee (maximum PLN 25 per kilogram of raw materials left on the market).
• Create or establish cooperation with a deposit system operator.
• Adapt packaging and production processes, which may require changes to IT systems.
• Manage the logistics of packaging collection and cooperation with collection points.

Retailers

Stores will be responsible for:

• Collecting and refunding deposits.
• Physical collection of packaging from consumers.
• Cooperation with the deposit system operator in the field of logistics and settlements.

But this is quite a simplification of the operation of the deposit system in Poland, as the Act divides stores into two groups according to their area: below and above 200 m². Depending on the size of the store, the duties are as follows:

Note: Stores below 200 m² may voluntarily join the packaging collection system and be obliged to fulfil the full scope of obligations, just like stores above 200 m².

The deposit system in Poland. New opportunities and challenges

• The deposit system in Poland is to enter into force on January 1, 2025.
• This applies to entities that sell single-use packaging, particularly bottles and cans. These entities are divided into three main groups: producers, customers, and retailers. Each group will have specific responsibilities and challenges related to implementing the deposit system.
• The increasingly popular recyclers are not an official part of this system but can support it.
• Consumers will be obliged to pay a deposit when purchasing products and returning packaging, intended to motivate them to participate actively in recycling.
• The draft act can be found here: https://www.gov.pl/web/premier/projekt-ustawy-o-powiedzie-ustawy-o-gospodarce-opaczeniami-i-odpadami-opakowaniowych2