Local governments have become involved in the zero waste policy, acting to reduce food waste and to reduce the amount of municipal waste. This is important because – according to the website – by 2055, Poland is to reach 55 percent. recycling rate.

According to the data of the Central Statistical Office, in 2021, almost 14 million tons of municipal waste was generated in Poland, of which over 85% was recycled. was made in households. This means, as calculated by Eurostat, that a statistical Pole produced 362 kg of waste at that time. This is 55 kg more than five years earlier.

There are already 400 municipalities in Europe that have committed to reducing the amount of municipal waste. They are supported in this by a network of non-governmental organizations associated within Zero waste Europe. Unfortunately, no Polish commune has become a zero waste commune so far.

However, Polish local governments take a number of actions to reduce the amount of municipal waste, acting in accordance with the 5R principles (refuse – refuse, reduse – limit, reuse – reuse, recycle – segregate and process, rot – compost).

In public canteens in Rybnik, food waste was reduced by 44 percent. In Rumia, the city council already in 2019 adopted the resolution „Rumia without plastic”, as a result of which municipal institutions resigned from disposable plastic cutlery, dishes, bottles, etc., instead public water dispensers were installed.

“It would be good if each local government appointed a team of people who would only deal with these problems and carry out their critical analysis. It is important that this team includes a person dealing with social communication. The point is to reach the residents and convince them that it also makes sense in the economic sphere,” says Paweł Głuszyński, an expert associated with non-governmental organizations that deal with preventing waste and its safe management.

If in 2025 we do not reach the required 55 percent. recycling rate, we will pay a huge fine to the European Union.

“The introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (ROP) system would change a lot. I am afraid that it will not be introduced before the local government elections,” notes Paweł Głuszyński, quoted by Praw.pl.

Information source: PAP MediaRoom

Source:https://www.seka.pl/samorzady-realizator-filozofie-zero-waste/

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