Poland's waste handling sparks sanitation concerns and fee hikes

Trade union workers in Polish retail chains have warned that bottle‑return machines (butelkomaty) create a biological hazard. They say bags of crushed bottles and cans are emptied near food items, exposing staff to bacterial contamination. The union has asked the sanitary inspectorate (Sanepid) and the Labour Inspectorate (PIP) to intervene, noting a lack of protective equipment and time‑consuming manual work.

At the same time, municipalities in the Leszno region will replace waste bags with 240‑litre green containers collected twice a month starting 1 July. Household waste collection fees rise from 33 zł to 45 zł per person per month, with a reduced discount for composters. The penalty for non‑segregation doubles to 90 zł. Officials say the measures are needed to fund the waste‑collection system and avoid a collapse of services.