The Supreme Chamber of Control: The long road to closed loop waste

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The Supreme Chamber of Control examined how the Polish state deals with waste management. The activities of the Minister of Climate, and previously the Minister of the Environment, as the authorities responsible for shaping the policy related to waste management in the country, as well as other public administration bodies covered by the control, were insufficient to limit the generation of plastic waste and its proper management. Moreover, the advancement of the conceptual and legislative work of both the Minister of Climate and the Minister of Development does not give hope for a quick implementation of the circular economy model in Poland.

According to the Supreme Chamber of Control, the slow pace of work on changes in waste management at the central level does not give strong grounds to expect that the relevant ministries will introduce radical solutions in the near future. The Minister of Climate has not yet decided on the validity of the implementation and the possible shape of the deposit system for packaging, although an external expertise in this area was prepared at the end of 2017. Mechanisms to support the eco-design of packaging have not been developed, and the extended producer responsibility system has not been improved. The Minister has not yet implemented the provisions of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste into national law. Determining applicable requirements as soon as possible is important for packaging companies that need time to prepare for the new solutions that will take effect by the end of 2024.

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