Rural Municipalities of Poland seek deposit system reforms

The Association of Rural Municipalities of the Republic of Poland (ZGWRP) is calling for the introduction of a territorial correction coefficient within the national deposit return system. The association argues that the current requirement of only one collection point per municipality does not provide equitable access for rural and urban-rural areas due to dispersed housing and large surface areas.

ZGWRP points out a systemic imbalance where residents of rural municipalities often return packaging in cities where they work, study, or shop. This results in waste mass being attributed to urban municipalities rather than the rural areas where it was consumed. The association proposes that municipalities should not face financial sanctions for failing to meet recycling targets if the reduction in their waste stream is caused by the state deposit system and occurs outside their control.