Poland rolls out mobile bottle‑deposit machines to tourist resorts

Poland will soon place a network of mobile deposit machines in popular seaside and resort towns such as Mielno, Gąski and Sarbinowo. The machines will accept plastic bottles up to 3 litres, metal cans up to 1 litre and recyclable glass bottles, returning the statutory deposit of 0.50 zł for plastics and cans and 1 zł for glass.

The deposit system, which began on 1 October 2025, has already collected 1.6 billion containers between October 2023 and May 2024. Operators are also testing digital refund options, including returns to payment cards. Minister of Climate and Environment Paulina Hennig‑Kłoska said key decisions on expanding the scheme – for example, adding single‑use glass containers – will be announced in September. The programme aims to meet EU recycling targets of 77 % by 2028 and 90 % by 2029.