Poland collects 5 billion containers in deposit system's first year and plans glass expansion

First-year collection volumes and infrastructure

Poland's nationwide deposit-return scheme collected 5 billion containers during its first twelve months of operation, achieving an efficiency rate of approximately 60% relative to containers placed on the market. The scheme officially began on 1 October 2025 and became fully operational on 1 January 2026 after a three-month transitional period. Infrastructure across Poland expanded to over 65,500 collection points, with nearly half located in small retail outlets and nearly 750 operating outside traditional retail networks. Automated reverse vending machines, established across 23,500 locations, accounted for 90% of all returned containers.

We can say that the initial phase of developing the deposit system is behind us. First of all, the deposit system works and its introduction made sense.

Planned expansion to glass and small liquor bottles

The Ministry of Climate and Environment is preparing draft legislation to broaden the deposit framework to include single-use glass packaging, specifically targeting small spirit bottles known locally as "małpki". Deputy Climate Minister Anita Sowińska confirmed that the ministry will soon announce the precise volume thresholds for covered glass bottles. The proposed legislation includes a transition period (vacatio legis) of approximately two years before the glass return rules take effect. The ministry also plans to extend the validity period of refund vouchers issued by automated reverse vending machines, while maintaining the rule that uncollected deposits are allocated strictly to financing system operations.

Consumer adoption and environmental results

A survey released by Krajowy System Kaucyjny Zwrotka recorded that 75% of respondents actively return packaging and plan to continue doing so, up from 62% in April 2026. The proportion of respondents intending to start using the system dropped from 19% to 6% as consumers adopted the routine. In the survey, 77% of users reported combining packaging returns with grocery shopping at the same store. Environmental groups observed direct effects in local ecosystems, with volunteers from the Czysta Odra cleanup campaign reporting 90% fewer PET bottles and 80% fewer aluminium cans retrieved compared to 2025.

The most important change is not only that the number of system users has grown. We see that returning packaging has been integrated into daily consumer behaviour.

Municipal finances and recycling market pressures

The diversion of recyclable materials from municipal curbside collection has altered revenue streams for local waste management facilities. In Warsaw, municipal operators reported a drop of more than 50% in recovered plastic bottles, projecting a revenue loss of approximately 20 million PLN from secondary raw material sales. Kraków municipal authorities registered a 46% decline in collected plastics, gathering roughly 564 tonnes. Ewa Rakowska, director of the management board office at the Polish Chamber of Waste Management (KIGO), stated that secondary plastic prices dropped from roughly 2,000 PLN to 900 PLN per tonne, driven partly by lower-priced imported recycled granulate from Asia and South America. Ministry of Climate and Environment spokesperson Marek Pogorzelski replied that attributing municipal waste fee increases to the deposit system serves as a pretext, noting that rising fuel prices and other operating costs determine municipal fees while the deposit scheme assists local authorities in meeting required recovery thresholds.