A peaceful and joyful Christmas from Interzero
A peaceful and joyful Christmas from Interzero
On the occasion of the upcoming Christmas holidays, we would like to thank all our Partners and Friends for their trust and cooperation over the past year.
We wish you much joy and smiles, with your loved ones, and peace in your heart. And in the coming New Year, fulfil your dreams and be successful in your private and professional lives.
At the same time, we encourage you to organise Christmas in #zerowaste style, i.e. waste-free.
As a reminder, you can use our free guide "Sustainable Christmas" HERE.
Noble Parcel 2023 at Interzero!
Noble Parcel 2023 at Interzero!
Spirit Christmas has arrived at Interzero - we have once again taken part in the Noble Parcel campaign.
Last weekend was the finale of the Noble Parcel. During the 'week of miracles', volunteers from all over Poland got involved in preparing gifts for families and people in need.
Once again, Interzero took part in the charity collection. This year, financial and material support went to a family from Łódź. The majority of our employees took part in the collection of gifts, which makes us extremely happy. We sincerely hope that this year's Christmas will bring them joy and peace of mind.
Although this year's edition of the Noble Parcel has already ended, we strongly encourage you to support the campaign with your donations through the website - This will allow even more families to be helped in the following year.
We would like to thank the employees of Interzero for their participation in the campaign, especially the coordinators of this year's campaign: Aleksandra Mikiel, Anita Janiec, Alicja Breś and Agnieszka Żuk for their involvement in organising the collection and delivering the parcels.
Did you know that jellyfish will help us fight microplastics?
Did you know that jellyfish will help us fight microplastics?
Pollution of seas and coastal areas resulting from the presence of microplastics poses a serious threat to the environment. The EU-funded GoJelly project aims to address these issues simultaneously by developing, testing and promoting an innovative solution.
The GoJelly project focuses on creating a prototype TRL 5-6 microplastic filter using jellyfish slime as a raw material. This solution will effectively remove microplastic pollution from seas and coastal areas. In addition, it will create employment opportunities for commercial fishermen, generate valuable by-products and provide resources for the food and feed industry as well as organic farming. GoJelly prototype products will be tested and demonstrated in three different European seas (Norwegian, Baltic and Mediterranean) by a range of stakeholders, including industrial partners.
Using one problem to solve another is the main idea of the GoJelly project. This initiative has received financial support from the European Union since the beginning of 2018. Its main goal is to create an innovative filter that would bind microplastic particles in sewage treatment plants, eliminating those that were not removed in the standard recycling process.
"The mucus secreted by jellyfish acts like glue on plastic particles," he said. says the project leader. Therefore, a team of scientists came up with the idea of using this process as an effective filter.
The result will be less plastic in the ocean and therefore more jobs for commercial fishermen outside the jellyfish harvest season.
Source: https://gojelly.eu/about/ .
Participate in the training course PACKAGING IN ACTION: Reporting, classification and reporting to the organisation
Participate in the training course PACKAGING IN ACTION: Reporting, classification and reporting to the organisation
You are cordially invited to a webinar entitled. "PACKAGING IN ACTION: Reporting, Classification and Reporting to Organisations", which will already take place on 15 January 2024 (Monday).
The online training will be led by: Jan Pyśkiewicz, Expert on packaging and waste management
Scope of the webinar:
- What is the marketing of products
- Who is the introducer and what are his/her responsibilities
- Categories, types and classification of packaging
- Implementation of obligations through packaging recovery organisations
- Obligation to conduct public education campaigns
- Reporting of quantitative data to the organisation
More details and the registration page can be found at HERE
Registration for the webinar runs until: 15 January 2024 at 8:00 am.
You are welcome!
Summary of the Zero Waste 2023 Fair
Summary of the Zero Waste 2023 Fair
Zero Waste Fair is an annual event that attracts enthusiasts of ecology and sustainable living. It is a unique event where we can meet truly committed creatives, participate in workshops that facilitate the transition to an ecological path and take part in the collection of objects that we no longer need but can find a new life in the hands of others.
This year we met on 2 December. It's time to take stock of our participation in the fair!
At the Interzero stand you could:
- Replace electro-waste with plants,
- Take part in a flow workshop to rescue stranded socks,
- Exchange items at the Unwanted Gifts Shelf,
- Create jewellery from electro-waste,
- Visit the bookshop section of the stand and learn about many items related to climate or environmental issues.
Thank you for visiting our stand in such large numbers!
Thanks to your commitment, we managed to collect as much as 1,341 kg of electro-waste, which we exchanged for plants.
In addition to this, we were able to create a number of sock Christmas gnomes, interesting and one-of-a-kind jewellery made from electro-gear, and the misplaced gifts rack proved to be the perfect solution for the unwanted gadgets we so often receive from other people!
We encourage you to view the photo report of the event. We hope to see you next year!
Photo: Mariusz Szachowski
Did you know that over the next few years, Warsaw will produce half as much exhaust gas?
Did you know that over the next few years, Warsaw will produce half as much exhaust gas?
This is the second city in Poland to introduce a clean transport zone. This time it will be the capital city of Warsaw. The clean transport zone isan area where only vehicles meeting specific exhaust emission standards are allowed. This is a solution that has been practiced in Europe for many years, aimed at improving air quality in cities and caring for the health of residents. There are already over 320 restricted traffic zones in Europe, bridge in Germany and Italy. Cracow as the first in Poland, it has already adopted a resolution on the creation of such a zone in the city, and its validity will begin in July 2024.
According to the assumption , the clean transport zone in Warsaw will include the following areas:
- the entire districts of Śródmieście, Żoliborz and Praga Północ;
- most of Ochota ( except for the fragment with the Reduta Shopping Center, Mszczonowska Street and the Western Railway Station)
- most of Prague and South (except the Olszynka Grochowska area: uninhabited PKP area and nature reserve);
- most of Mokotów (except Sadyba, Stegien, Augustówka and parts of Służewiec);
- approximately half of Wola (to Prymasa Tysiąclecia Avenue).
People living in this areas that pay taxes in Warsaw will be exempt from the obligation to meet the conditions of the zone at the two initial stages of its introduction. The Clean Transport Zone (SCT) rules will only apply to them from January 2028. The restrictions will then include a ban on vehicles with engines driving around the area diesel vehicles older than 13 years and petrol vehicles older than 22 years.
People who bought vehicles after the adoption of the resolution, as well as other residents of Warsaw, will be subject to the previously presented requirements without any changes. From July 2024, they will not be able to move within the clean transport zone using diesel vehicles older than 18 years and petrol vehicles older than 27 years.
Additionally, special exceptions are provided for seniors, i.e. people who will reach the age of 70 by the end of 2023, provided that they already owned their vehicles before the adoption of the Clean Transport Zone (SCT) resolution. As a result, people over 70. years of age who meet certain conditions will be exempt from the rules applicable under SCT for an indefinite period.
We hope that the implementation of the clean transport zone will significantly improve the air quality and, consequently, the lives of Warsaw's residents .
Interzero invites you to the 17th edition of the Pulse of Literature Festival in Lodz!
Interzero invites you to the 17th edition of the Pulse of Literature Festival in Lodz!
Pulse of Literature Festival is an annual cultural event where authors, readers, publishers and other literature lovers come together to participate in discussions, presentations, readings and other book-related activities.
In 2023, the festival takes place in early December (1-10.12.2023) under the theme "On the brink of utopia" and will address the themes of utopia in political, economic and ecological dimensions.
The festival features author meetings and thematic panels, literary workshops, children's activities, performance readings and concerts. We will also be there.
Interzero will be organising a Family Organic Workshop on 9 December (Saturday) (registration at email address zapisy@dom-literatury.pl). The workshop will be led by the Head of the Environmental Education Team Edyta Mantorska.
Ecological workshops provide a great opportunity to learn about the environment and sustainability. Children learn not only through words, but also through action and adult observation. Participating in an environmental workshop can help to develop environmentally friendly attitudes that will influence a child's daily decisions and living habits. All these activities can make them reflect and stimulate in them a sense of responsibility for preserving the natural environment. It is also a great opportunity to spend creative time with your kids.
More details and attractions on the day can be found HERE
More information about the festival HERE
We invite you to participate in the festival!
A winding road to a circular economy - Pawel Lesiak's contribution to the Republic of Poland
A winding road to a circular economy - Paweł Lesiak's contribution to the Republic
The waste management market is going through a period of dynamic change - both in terms of national and regional legislation and market-wide legislation. A confluence of many unexpected circumstances, 2023 has been a challenging year for businesses.
In his latest statement for Rzeczpospolita, Interzero's Executive Vice President Paweł Lesiak approached the topic from a business perspective, providing an in-depth analysis of all the factors that have influenced changes in the waste management industry. Among them, he mentioned the impact of the war in Ukraine on the packaging situation in Poland or the reason for the mass import of cheap regranulate from Asia. He also indicated what changes await the economy in the near future, as well as what actions we should take to support the green transition and shorten the path to implementing the circular economy. He stressed the importance of taking the global situation into account in the modernisation of the European market and the simplification of environmental regulations for better sustainability performance of entrepreneurs.
Interzero takes an active part in building the bail system and actively supports entrepreneurs in adapting to the new legal and economic environment. We pay particular attention to legal and regulatory issues, keeping abreast of changes in the law and seeking to influence decisions taken at ministerial level. By actively participating in decision-making processes, we aim to help shape a more effective and sustainable regulatory environment for the industry. In this way, Interzero becomes an important participant in the dialogue between the private sector and public administration, striving to harmoniously combine business interests with the needs of societies
We invite you to read the entire article HERE.
Largest sorting plant for plastic waste for chemical recycling in Europe - construction started!
Largest waste sorting plant of plastics for chemical recycling in Europe - construction started!
On 20 November 2023, just 20 days after announcing the formation of the collaboration, OMV, an integrated energy, fuels and raw materials, chemicals and materials company based in Vienna, and Interzero, Europe's leading provider of closed-loop solutions, today celebrated the laying of the foundation stone for an innovative plastic waste sorting plant for chemical recycling in Walldürn, Baden-Württemberg.
Invited guests included personalities from both the national and regional policy spheres, as well as partners involved in the project. All event participants emphasised the positive effects of the project, both for the local community and for Europe. The initiative has created 120 new jobs, the development of modern recycling technology and an investment from OMV of more than €170 million. Chemical recycling is a key technology of the future that, alongside traditional mechanical recycling, can significantly increase the reuse rate of plastics while protecting valuable raw materials from incineration.
"This project marks the beginning of a new era in plastics recycling. In cooperation with our partner OMV, we are using an innovative recycling process we have developed to give a second life to plastics that are currently incinerated through chemical recycling. I am convinced that with chemical recycling, the recycling rate in Germany will be able to increase significantly in the future. This brings us another big step closer to our vision of a world without waste.", said Axel Schewitzer, President and Owner of Interzero.
This Innovative, state-of-the-art waste sorting plant developed by Interzero and OMV will be capable of processing 260,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste per year.
The entire press release can be read HERE
Interzero and PIOIRO on the joint road to implementing the bail system in Poland
Interzero and PIOIRO on the joint road to implementing the bail system in Poland
At the beginning of 2025, Poland plans to implement a deposit system. Are Polish companies prepared for the changes in packaging waste management? The Polish Chamber of Packaging Recovery and Recycling (PIOIRO), in cooperation with Interzero, a leader in the field of the circular economy, aims to ensure a smooth and effective implementation of the new regulations for producers of packaged products.
The Polish deposit solution will differ from most European systems, which are usually based on a single operator. More operators will be possible in Poland, and all shops with a surface area of 200 square metres or more will be obliged to accept returnable packaging (smaller shops will be able to join the system voluntarily).
The Polish Chamber of Packaging Recovery and Recycling (PIOIRO) and Interzero, with their experience in providing environmental services and commitment to promoting a closed loop economy, will play a key role in implementing and managing the deposit system in Poland. Their cooperation will contribute to the development of automated collection systems using bottle meters and the bag system.
Within the system, PIOiRO and Interzero will be responsible for, among other things:
- achieving the required collection rates for packaging waste and packaging covered by the deposit system,
- delivery and installation of the chosen bottle machine
- the organisation of a bagging system (for distributors who choose not to install bottle dispensers),
- the provision of an operating system to enable the ongoing monitoring of the amount of packaging in the deposit system and the funds derived from the deposit,
- preparation of reports,
- ensuring the transport of waste from distributors and redistribution centres, as required by waste legislation,
- processing of waste and ensuring the availability of recyclate,
- achievement of the statutory recycling levels through Interzero Organizacja Odzysku Opakowań S.A. or PIOIRO, as appropriate for the type of material,
Both organisations are ready for the challenges that the deposit system brings, ensuring that the management of packaging waste in Poland is carried out effectively and in the spirit of sustainable development.
You can read more about our role HERE