Poland's Waste Management System Exposed. Goals Out of Reach

• In 2024, an average of 376.9 kg of municipal waste was collected per resident, which means an increase of 20.2 kg compared to the previous year.
• The amount of waste collected or selectively increased – it amounted to approximately 6 million tons, or 9% more than a year ago.
• In 2023, 15.8% of waste was recycled, and last year it was more, 18.3%.

The Central Statistical Office reported that 14.2 million tons of municipal waste were collected in Poland in 2024. The first piece of bad news is that this represents a 5.3% increase compared to 2023. On average, 376.9 kg of municipal waste was collected per resident, an increase of 20.2 kg compared to the previous year.

The amount of waste collected or separately collected also increased – approximately 6 million tons, or 9% more than a year ago. In 2023, 15.8% of waste was recycled, compared to 18.3% last year. However, it's hard to call these results good when we remember that the EU requirement for 2024 is 45%, rising to 55% in 2025.

The municipal waste collected in 2024 was directed to the following processes:

• recovery - 7,511.0 thousand tonnes (53.0%), including:
• recycling - 2,596.5 thousand tons (18.3%),
• biological processing (composting or fermentation) - 1,813.7 thousand tonnes (12.8%),
• thermal conversion with energy recovery - 3,100.8 thousand tonnes (21.9%),
• disposal - 4,260.3 thousand tonnes (30.1%), including:
• by thermal conversion without energy recovery - 3.2 thousand tons (0.0%),
• through storage - 4,257.1 thousand tonnes (30.1%).

We've repeatedly written on PortalSamorzadowy.pl that achieving the designated recycling levels by municipalities is, in most cases, unrealistic. Experts and local government officials admit that without radical changes to the waste management system, most municipalities will soon be paying fines for non-compliance.

"In my opinion, a realistic recycling rate for municipalities is 35, maybe 37%, that's it. Of course, you can squeeze more out, but it no longer makes economic sense; it's simply becoming prohibitively expensive," Adam Rogaliński, deputy director of the Climate, Environment and Municipal Management Department at Kielce City Hall, told our website.

In turn, in a position paper published in May, the Polish Chamber of Waste Management (PIGO), an organization representing entrepreneurs in the waste management sector, wrote:

It is now obvious to the entire municipal waste management industry in Poland that achieving the level of preparation for reuse and recycling of municipal waste by 2025, as required by Article 3b of the Act on Maintaining Cleanliness and Order in Municipalities, of at least 55% by weight, is objectively impossible.

As a reminder, municipalities are required to achieve a level of preparation for reuse and recycling of municipal waste of at least 45% by weight in 2024 and 55% by weight in 2025. After that, the requirements will increase by one percentage point each year, to reach 65% in 2025, which will apply for the following years.

The Central Statistical Office also reported that in 2024, 12.2 million tons of waste were collected from households, which constituted 86.2% of all municipal waste generated.

In 2024, there were 2,378 separate municipal waste collection points in operation (2,330 in 2023). Municipal waste collection services were provided by 1,366 companies (1,323 in 2023).

At the end of 2024, 247 landfills accepting municipal waste were still operating , covering a total area of ​​1,627.4 ha. Of these, 93.9% were equipped with degassing installations, resulting in the recovery of 132,078,000 MJ of thermal energy and 129,381,000 kWh of electricity through the combustion of captured gas. In 2024, seven landfills with a total area of ​​13.9 ha were closed.

Statistics Poland (GUS) data also shows that 12,726 illegal landfills were closed in 2024 (9,804 in 2023), from which a total of 39,500 tons of municipal waste was collected (63,700 tons in 2023). Unfortunately, at the end of last year, as many as 2,728 illegal landfills were recorded, which is more than the year before, when there were 2,154.