From September, the waste disposal fee may increase by 30 percent. Calculations shown
- In Krakow the new fee may amount to PLN 35 per resident.
- The last increase - from PLN 24 to PLN 27 - was introduced on July 1, 2022.
- The city council argues that even after the change, the proposed rate remains significantly below the maximum amount permitted by law.
The official website of the Krakow City Hall has information about the planned increase and new rates for municipal waste collection. According to the city council, councilors will soon decide to change the rate for municipal waste collection. According to the initial assumptions, the new fees would apply from September 1, 2025.
The municipal waste management system should be financed entirely from fees paid by property owners, and the amount of these fees should be set in such a way as to ensure that all costs related to the operation of the system are covered
- writes UMK.
The costs of operating the system have increased dramaticallyAccording to the Krakow City Hall, the main reasons for the rate change are:
- inflation and wage growth, as calculated by the office, cumulative inflation in 2022-2025 amounted to about 40 percent, and the increase in the minimum wage was about 55 percent, which directly translates into higher costs of labor and services;
- increase in the amount of waste: every year, Krakow residents produce about 3-5 percent more waste, which increases the costs of its collection and processing, environmental requirements and legal changes are also increasing, and new regulations impose higher recycling levels on municipalities and expand the scope of services (e.g. textile collection), which requires investment and generates higher operating costs;
- a drop in the prices of secondary raw materials: despite better segregation and a larger amount of collected raw materials, their prices on the market are falling, in addition, the planned deposit system will withdraw from the system valuable raw materials that currently generate part of the income, for example: in 2022 the average price for secondary raw materials was PLN 441.53 per tonne, and in 2024 - PLN 291.49;
- no extended producer responsibility: the costs of packaging waste management are still borne entirely by residents.
The new fee may amount to PLN 35 per resident. The last increase - from PLN 24 to PLN 27 was introduced on July 1, 2022, which means that the fee has not changed for three years.
The Krakow City Hall explains that despite a small increase in revenues (approx. 2.37% in 2023-2025), the costs of operating the system have increased drastically - by over 51% in 2022-2025. Forecasts for 2026 indicate a further increase of several percent.
These factors resulted in the loss of financial balance of the system in 2024 and the generation of a significant deficit that must be covered so that the system can continue to operate efficiently. To cover the costs, it is necessary to increase the revenues of the municipal waste management system by approximately PLN 77.9 million in 2025 and approximately PLN 112.5 million in 2026.
- explains the office.
As the city states, although the new rate is 30 percent higher than the current one, it should be remembered that this is the first increase since 2022. And as officials calculate - during this period there was a significant increase in the cost of living, as well as salaries.
The Office also argues that even after the change, the proposed rate remains significantly below the maximum amount permitted by law. The current fee rate - Krakow officials calculate - PLN 27, is about 65 percent of the maximum permissible statutory fee rate in 2022 - PLN 41.24, and the proposed fee rate - PLN 35 is about 55 percent of the maximum permissible statutory rate for 2025 - PLN 63.34.
