Minister on Spirit Bottle Deposits: "Certainly Not Before Year-End"

Poland's deposit-refund system for beverage containers is experiencing remarkable success, with a record 900 million containers collected in July alone. This surge brings the total collected by the end of July to 3.2 billion, a substantial increase from 2.3 billion at the end of June. The system now boasts over 60,000 collection points nationwide, and the number of reverse vending machines has grown to 17,500, up from 14,000 in late June.

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In July alone, 900 million containers were collected, which is another record. By the end of July, 3.2 billion were collected, compared to 2.3 billion at the end of June. We have over 60,000 collection points. The number of reverse vending machines has significantly increased to 17,500 across Poland, up from 14,000 at the end of June.

This summer also saw the deposit system become a hit at major music festivals. Pol'and'Rock festival alone collected a record 724,000 containers. Other festivals like Męskie Granie, Audioriver, and Jarocin also contributed significantly, with a combined collection of 120,000 containers, all processed by the operator PSK.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Climate and Environment is considering expanding the deposit system to include single-use glass bottles for spirits, often referred to as "małpki." A decision on this matter is anticipated in September, following the preparation of a Regulatory Impact Assessment. However, Minister Anita Sowińska emphasized that even if approved, the implementation would involve a lengthy "vacatio legis" period to allow businesses sufficient time to adapt.

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The deposit system was dominant at the festivals. At Pol'and'Rock, a record 724,000 containers were collected, but at Męskie Granie, Audioriver, and Jarocin, a total of 120,000 containers were collected. These festivals were serviced by the PSK operator.

"We plan to take this next step because we see that support for this change is significant. It will certainly not be by the end of the year, but I emphasize that we plan to introduce a long vacatio legis, because entrepreneurs need time to implement," Sowińska stated.

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We plan to take this next step because we see that support for this change is significant. It will certainly not be by the end of the year, but I emphasize that we plan to introduce a long vacatio legis, because entrepreneurs need time to implement.