The introduction of mandatory ESG reporting in Poland will have a significant impact on companies that meet the criteria set out in the EU CSRD. As in other EU countries, these companies will be obliged to prepare annual sustainability reports. These reports will have to comply with the legal requirements and standards set out in the EU regulation. ESG documentation will be placed on a par in terms of form with financial reports and its content will have to be approved by independent auditors. Failure to comply with the obligation to produce a report may lead to serious consequences, including criminal liability.

Companies on which ESG reporting will not be directly imposed will also be affected by the enactment of the Union Regulation. Why? We suspect that many of them will need to collect and analyse environmental impact data anyway. Arguably, these will be essential documents for contractors or companies within the same group of companies that will be subject to the reporting requirement. It is possible that support will be required from partners to provide relevant data. This is why we already encourage representatives of small and medium-sized companies to take an interest in the ESG topic. Without implementing a proper operational strategy - the business could be seriously affected in a few years' time. Customers are also more likely to turn to products and services from transparent providers.

The Interzero team, knowing that both small and larger companies will need expert help to put ESG into practice, has prepared an e-book for you. It is a document that contains all the necessary information. It is written in simple, accessible language. In it, we explain what the CSRD is, introduce the reporting timeline, show you how to communicate on the topic of sustainability, and outline the operational steps you need to take to prepare your business for ESG. Fill in the form on our websiteand you will get access to it completely free of charge. Your education is one of the most important factors for the development of your business.

News about the enactment of reporting is just the tip of the iceberg. We know how much the Polish business model will now change and we want our clients to be prepared for this. As a company, we believe in technology and innovation. That is why we want to guide all those interested in the topic of ESG smoothly and calmly. We would like to remind you that reporting will be mandatory:

• from 2025 - for large companies (more than 250 employees and/or EUR 50 million turnover and/or EUR 25 million total assets),
• from 2026 - for listed SMEs.

Environmental Sustainability Dashboard - ESG non-financial reporting tool - our proprietary consulting solution. The tool will streamline your data collection and monitoring processes - so you can accurately track ESG indicators. It is a solution for companies that want to be ready for mandatory reporting. Clients get access to an online platform and full environmental impact assessment advice.

According to calculations by IOŚ-PIB experts, products packed in 6,740 thousand tonnes of packaging were put on the market in 2022. Data from 532 installations were taken into account, with a total of 4 023.8 thousand tonnes of waste entering the market in 2022. More than 10% of this mass consisted of so-called non-target materials (materials that are not recycled in a given recycling process into products, materials or substances that are not waste). After adjustment, the total the weight of recycled packaging waste was 3 608.9 thousand tonnes, including:

• 2,022.5 thousand tonnes of paper and cardboard packaging waste.
• 565.1 thousand tonnes of plastic packaging waste,
• 635,000 tonnes of glass packaging waste,
• 268,900 tonnes of wood packaging waste,
• 117,400 tonnes of metal packaging waste.

According to the methodology adopted by the authors of the report, The recycling rate for total packaging waste was 60.4%, an increase of 1.4 more than the minimum provided for in the Decree of the Minister of Climate and the Environment of 19 December 2021 on the annual recycling levels of packaging waste by year until 2030.

Recycling rates for total packaging waste were calculated in 2 options. The first one was based on data from introducers (entities that have entrusted statutory obligations to organisations) and stand-alone (entities responsible on their own). From this data, the recycling levels of individual packaging waste for 2022 were as follows:

• metals - 93.9%,
• wood - 20.9%,
• plastics - 40.7%,
• glass - 65.3 %,
• paper and cardboard - 89.1%.

According to this option, minimum annual recycling targets for packaging waste have been achieved for all types of packagingfrom which the waste originated.

The second variant calculation presented in the report was based on the methodology of IOŚ-PIB. The recycling levels calculated in this way for almost all packaging waste (except plastics) are at a lower level:

• metals - 36.6%,
• wood - 16.7%,
• plastics - 45.8%,
• glass - 45 %,
• paper and cardboard - 83.9%.

According to calculations based on the methodology of the EIA-PIB, in 2022, the introducers did not meet the minimum recycling levels for ferrous metal and aluminium packaging waste (amounting to 55% and 51% respectively) and wood (amounting to %).

Regardless of the option, the lowest recycling rate was recorded for wood waste.

The source of the data presented in the report is the BDO register. Gap takers, i.e. producers or distributors who place plastic packaging or packaged products on the market and do not report them to a producer responsibility organisation or public authority or otherwise take financial or financial and organisational responsibility for the management of plastic packaging waste or report smaller quantities than they actually place on the market, are not included in the calculations.

The analysis prepared by the EIA-PIB takes into account waste with codes:

• 15 01 01 - paper and cardboard packaging,
• 15 01 02 - plastic packaging,
• 15 01 03 - wood packaging,
• 15 01 04 - metal packaging,
• 15 01 05 - multi-material packaging,
• 15 01 06 - mixed packaging waste,
• 15 01 07 - glass packaging.

The actual amount of packaging waste generated in Poland and recycled was calculated as follows - adding up the weights of waste recycled in Poland and recycled abroad, reducing the result by the weight of waste imported to Poland for recycling.

On 24 October 2024, a draft decree of the Ministry of Climate Change was published on the website of the Government Legislation Centre, which provides for an increase in the rates of the registration fee and the annual fee applicable from 2018.

From 2025 these will amount to:

• PLN 200 for micro-entrepreneurs,
• PLN 800 for other entrepreneurs.

This represents an increase of 100% and 166% respectively. The increase will cover all entitieswhich have a statutory obligation to register with BDO.

Check whether your company is required to register with BDO!

In accordance with the provisions of the Waste Act, BDO fee rates have been set in the range of PLN 50 to PLN 2,000. Their amount should not constitute an obstacle to registration or the exercise of economic activityespecially for micro, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

Prepared by the Ministry of Climate and Environment The draft was then submitted for opinion among others by employers' organisations and by the Joint Committee of Government and Local Self-Government. Due to the need to ensure the entry into force of the proposed regulations from 1 January 2025, the deadline for giving an opinion on the draft regulation was only five days.

According to the climate ministry's calculations, thanks to the BDO fee increase The total revenue from the registration fee and annual fee for the period 2025-2034 will be:

• for the state budget PLN 243.5 million,
• for the provincial budget (provincial marshals) PLN 134.8 million.

Over the projected 10-year period, medium and large enterprises will have to bear a total of PLN 194.662 million in additional costs, and micro and small enterprises PLN 70.942 million.

The reasons for the increase in the BDO registration fee and annual fee are explained in the explanatory memorandum to the draft regulation. As the climate department points out, fee rates have not been updated for more than 6 years. During this period cumulative inflation was 43.9%, which has meant that the real income from the registration fee and the annual fee has actually decreased. Furthermore, as of 2018. there has been a significant increase in costs associated with maintaining, running and developing the BDO, which has contributed to a reduction in the resources that can be allocated to the proper functioning of the Products and Packaging and Waste Management Database.

The registration fee and BDO annual fee rates proposed in the draft regulation take into account the aforementioned increase in costs both on the part of the voivodship marshals and on the part of the state budget. Let us recall that the fees payable by entrepreneurs for entry and maintenance of the register shall be collected by the Marshall of the Voivodship. They represent in 35.65 % the income of the provincial budget (the provincial marshal), who is responsible for maintaining the register, and in 64.35 % the income of the state budget and the Ministry of Climate and Environment, who are the BDO Administrator.

The course of the legislative process can be followed on the website of the Government Legislation Centre.

The catalogue of entities obliged to register with the BDO, and thus also to pay the annual and registration fees, is enumeratively defined in the Waste Act.

The following are obliged to pay the registration fee and the annual fee:

• equipment introducers and authorised representatives,
• the introducer of batteries or accumulators,
• vehicle introducer,
• producers, importers and intra-Community purchasers of packaging,
• introducing packaged products on the national territory,
• the importer of tyres on the national territory,
• introducing lubricating oils on the national territory.

For some businesses, increased BDO rates are not the only concern. From 2025, an obligation to keep records of hazardous waste has been introduced and, at the same time, the existing exemption enjoyed by small waste generators has been abolished. These changes will primarily affect the beauty industry, including hairdressers, barbers, make-up artists, make-up artists, nail, eyelash or eyebrow stylists. For more information follow the link. 

From 2025, an obligation to segregate construction and demolition waste into 6 fractions has also been introduced. The most important change is the abandonment of the obligation to segregate R & D waste at the place where it is generated - the entrepreneur can outsource this to another authorised entity with permits and an entry in the BDO, provided that an appropriate agreement is concluded. For more information, see the entry at the link. 

Contained in the draft PPWR regulations will affect all businesses introducing packaged products. Cosmetics manufacturers are also included in this group. Let us recall that the current Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive does not introduce any specific requirements for the entire life cycle of cosmetic packaging. However, we are about to experience a real packaging revolution in the cosmetics industry.

With the entry into force of the provisions of the PPWR, the following requirements will apply to the cosmetics industry:

• minimising packaging,
• suitability of packaging for recycling,
• mandatory use of recyclates,
• the need to restrict certain packaging formats (e.g. mini hotel products),
• mandatory labelling of packaging as to sorting and reusability,
• reuse of transport and collection packaging,
• an obligation to reduce the use of biodegradable and compostable packaging.

The draft packaging regulation adopted by the EP obliges manufacturers of cosmetic packaging to reduce its weight and volume as much as possible. However, this must be done without compromising the safety of the products packaged in them or the functionality of the packaging itself. This functionality is understood through the following criteria:

• Product protection,
• production and filling processes,
• logistics,
• information requirements,
• hygiene and safety,
• legal requirements,
• recycled content, recyclability and reusability.

From the market multi-layered, double-walled, false bottom packaging will therefore disappear and other elements whose sole purpose is to increase the volume visually.

Minimisation of volume will also have an impact on transport and bulk packaging, in which the the void ratio will be up to 40%.

The recyclability of cosmetics packaging will be assessed according to criteria to be implemented in two stages. In phase I, presumably from 1 January 2030, each packaging will have to meet EU design criteria for recycling (Design for Recycling), which take into account the state of the art, collection and sorting. In phase II, implemented from 1 January 2035, packaging will have to meet DfR criteria and an additional criterion demonstrating their 'large-scale' recyclability.

The PPWR regulation will therefore make it necessary to eco-design of all packaging, i.e. designing it for later recycling.

Cosmetics packaging will be categorised into different recyclability classes, the highest of which will be class A, indicating a recyclability of 95% or more by weight of packaging. Packaging whose recyclability will be less than 70% by weight (Class E or below), will not be able to be placed on the market in the EU. The amount of the product fee (eco-modification) will also be linked to the recyclability class.

The draft PPWR regulation also provides for Mandatory use of plastics recovered from post-consumer waste (recyclates) for cosmetic packaging. The way in which it will be determined (per unit of packaging, per manufacturer's product portfolio or per other unit) has not yet been definitively confirmed, nor have the levels of use of recyclate proposed to the cosmetics industry. Initially, these were to be 10% of recyclate by 2030 and 55% by 2040. Whether these proposals will be maintained or increased is likely to be known by the end of this year.

In order to meet the projected regulations, leading players in the cosmetics industry are constantly expanding their range of products in recycled or recycled-infused packaging. Such ecological cosmetic packaging They are also often minimised.

Not all types of packaging will see a major overhaul - some of them will be completely banned. We are talking about miniature hotel cosmetics. This packaging format has been assessed by the European Commission as excessive or unnecessary.

Once the PPWR comes into force, however, travel mini cosmetics up to 100 ml will remain on drugstore shelves - only hotel products will be banned. However, it is well known that the EC may expand the catalogue of banned packaging in the future.

The PPWR regulation also aims to harmonisation of the labelling on packaging. They will have to clearly indicate the material composition packaging to make it easier for consumers to sort their packaging waste. Reusable packaging, meanwhile, will feature a QR code or other information to facilitate reuse.

With the introduction of the new labelling, information that could confuse or mislead consumers will be prohibited on the labels and throughout the packaging.

All requirements under the draft PPWR are designed to reduce the consumption of primary raw materials, slow down the rate of growth of packaging production and increase the proportion of recycled materials in almost all packaging, not only cosmetic packaging. The effect of their implementation is to bring the whole EU closer to the goal of a low-carbon, closed-loop economy.

PPWR regulations cover the entire life cycle of packaging, placing particular emphasis on designing for later recycling and closing the raw material cycle. This is due, among other things, to the fact that plastic packaging is highly carbon intensive, and in terms of fossil fuel consumption recycling of the resulting waste is five times more beneficial than incineration with energy recovery[i].

The final text of the PPWR was adopted by the European Parliament on 24 April 2024. As expected, the Council will confirm the adoption of the regulation by the end of this year at the latest, and the new rules will take effect from 2026.

Let's start at the beginning, which is what Olympic medals are cast from. Although this may seem shocking, gold medals are not made of gold at all! They are produced from top-grade silver (>995), which is then gold plated, this time with real gold at a symbolic 6g. Interestingly, gold medals have not been gold for over 100 years - the last time pure Olympic gold was awarded to athletes was at the 1912 Stockholm Games.

The situation is different for Olympic silver medals, which are silver not just in name. Like the most valuable pucks, they are also Olympic silver is produced from silver of a purity >995. Bronze medals, on the other hand, are cast from an alloy of copper, tin and zinc.

The medals presented at the modern Olympic Games were usually created from primary materials. The breakthrough came during the 2016 Rio Games, when the silver and bronze medals were made in 30% from recycled metals. These medals were hung on ribbons, which in turn were produced from recycled bottles.

A step further was taken by the organisers of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. - They decided to make medals made from 100% recycled electro-waste material. The entire Japanese public was involved in the collection of this electro-waste, donating old phones, computers and small electronics for months. From the electro-waste collected 4.1 tonnes of silver, 2.7 tonnes of bronze and more than 30 kg of gold were recovered, from which around 5,000 medals could be cast.

Olympic medals are just one of the non-obvious uses of recycled materials. Check out what else is made from recycling!

The idea of casting Olympic medals from recycled metals continued at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In addition to recycled silver, gold, copper, tin and zinc, They also included ... iron fragments from the Eiffel Tower. They were obtained during the renovation and then sunk inside each of the medals. In this way, the top Olympians each received exactly 18 grams of iron from the most important symbol of Paris.

The most important change approved at the Council of Ministers meeting held on 29 October is postponement of the launch of bail schemes - from the originally planned 1 January 2025 to 1 October 2025.

The shortening of the reference period is intended to enable introducers and deposit system operators to better preparation for separate collection. This mainly concerns adjustment of the area of commercial units (installation Bottle machines, the organisation of a bag system), so that the deposit system will cover the whole country and all consumers concerned will have the opportunity to return their deposit. The changes are due to come into effect from 1 January 2025.

It will be recalled that the discussion about the possibility of postponing the start of the bail-in system began with statements by Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska, who said on 16 October that the bail system is not ready to enter into force. On 21 October, an auto-amendment to the Packaging Act, introduced by the Minister, appeared on the website of the Government Legislation Centre, which would have given the operators of the deposit system the opportunity to request a postponement of the start date from 1 January 2025 to 1 July 2025. In the end, it was decided at the cabinet meeting to postpone the start of the deposit system even further.

The draft amendment adopted by the Council of Ministers provides for the possibility of amending existing licences for the bail system limited to a change of date the launch of the system on 1 October 2025. According to Article 7 of the amendment bill, this will take place upon application by operators who have already been authorised to operate a bail system before the amendment enters into force.

By 17 October 2024, the Minister of Climate and Environment had issued 4 final administrative decisions granting permits to operate the bail-in system, which indicated 1 January 2025 as the start date. - informed Paulina Hennig-Kloska.

The deadline for submitting an application is 7 days after the law comes into force. Operators' applications will be processed within the same timeframe. Importantly, the bill does not provide for the possibility of refusing to modify an issued authorisation to the extent that it is limited to a change in the start-up date of the system.

A consequence of the postponement of the start of the deposit system is a change in the way the levels of separate collection of packaging waste covered by the system are calculated. According to Article 9 of the draft law, these will be calculated on the basis of the weight of packaging placed on the market between 1 October and 31 December 2025.and not from 1 January to 31 December 2025, as originally envisaged.

The amendment to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Management Act obliges provincial environmental inspectorates to carry out inspections both before and after the launch of the deposit system. The tasks of the Voivodeship Inspectorates of Environmental Protection will include, among others, control of representing entities which is to contribute to ensuring that the systems have been set up correctly and are functioning as authorised.

Explore comprehensive Interzero services for all participants in the bail system.

In addition to the above amendments, the bill introduces a number of additional changes, largely advocated by businesses, including:

• exclusion of milk and milk-based drinks from the obligation to collect packaging and packaging waste,
• the introduction of a so-called closed bail system, i.e. the obligation to charge deposits at each stage of the sales chain,
• allowing retailers to use, for example, distribution centres to collect packaging waste collected from retail units without having to obtain a waste collection permit,
• Adding a requirement for each municipality to have at least one stationary collection point for packaging and packaging waste as part of a deposit system,
• making it compulsory for retailers with less than 200 m of floor space to accept reusable glass bottles²if the unit sells drinks in such bottles,
• introduction from 2026 changes in height product levy borne by introducers who have not joined any deposit scheme. The product charge will be calculated as three times the product charge rate specified for the type of beverage packaging.

Adopted by the Council of Ministers, the draft was submitted to the Sejm on 30 October 2024 and was referred to the first reading a day later. The course of the legislative process can be followed on the Sejm website.

From a report by EFL and Credit Agricole Bank Polska Diagnosis of the level of ESG knowledge and practices in micro and small companies it follows that already more than 2/3 of entrepreneurs have decided to develop an ESG strategy for their company. It is worth noting that usually these activities result from:

• growing customer expectations - 56%,
• requirements of financial institutions - 51%,
• conditions imposed by suppliers and contractors - 46%.

Even more, 81% micro and small entrepreneurs believe that sustainability measures are important for their businesses. Among representatives of such companies environmental and climate change issues are seen not as a burden and a cost, but as an investment in development enterprises.

Small entrepreneurs see numerous benefits from implementing ESG practices. In their view, such measures increase employee motivation and productivity, build customer trust and loyalty, and enhance brand value.

Interestingly, in the smallest companies on the market the ESG strategy is usually contained in another document. This is the practice chosen by as many as 33% respondents. Only 10% entrepreneurs prepare a separate document for this purpose, and as many as ¼ do not create one at all, but apply unwritten rules. This is a kind of contrast from the largest market players, who have already been required to report individual ESG indicators in writing this year.

Prepared by EFL and Credit Agricole Bank Polska, the report also indicates activities in ESG areas, which representatives of micro and small companies declare to undertake. Among them we find:

• recycling and waste management - 74%,
• Water consumption monitoring - 64%,
• Energy consumption monitoring - 68%,
• thermal modernisation of buildings - 52%,
• RES installation - 42%,
• low-emission vehicle fleet - 39%.

Definitely less frequent companies decide to measure their carbon footprint themselves and their suppliers. Such actions are declared by 22% and 18% respondents respectively. Perhaps this is due to the adoption of a strategy of small steps - micro and small enterprises need to measure themselves by their strengths and implement further green practices gradually.

In the coming months and years, we can expect to see more activity in moving towards low- or zero-carbon and the implementation of tools for calculating and monitoring the carbon footprint companies. Such a tool is Enviromental Sustainability Dashboard, which combines the ability to calculate and control ESG indicators with a consultancy service to identify your company's key data and learn about ways to improve your environmental performance.

Findings from the analysis of data from the Enviromental Sustainability Dashboard tool are also the basis for any company's sustainability strategyThe Commission's aim is to help the Member States to make the best possible use of their resources, to set the course for environmental change and to monitor the effectiveness of the measures that have already been taken. Why is this so important? Take part in an online training course "Non-financial reporting and corporate sustainability".during which you will learn when and what to report and get a closer look at the ESD tool from Interzero.

Sources:

1. Report: 68% micro and small companies have an ESG strategy report, https://media.efl.pl/informacje/raport-68-mikro-i-malych-firm-posiada-strategie-esg

As interpreted by the Ministry of Climate and Environmentwaste generated in cemeteries is classified as municipal waste. Their collection and disposal should be carried out on the basis of a contract with an entity entered in the register of regulated activities for the collection of municipal waste from property owners[I].

The obligation to manage cemetery waste, and therefore to sign an appropriate contract, rests with the managers of the cemeteries. In the case of municipal cemeteries, this is therefore the responsibility of mayors and town mayors, while parish cemeteries are the responsibility of parish priests.

Cemetery waste management activities intensify around All Saints' Day, when the containers placed at necropolises quickly become overflowing. No wonder - every year Poles buy around 300,000 new candles, and as many as 45% of these are sold during the Feast of the Dead[II]. Therefore, before 1 November managers of cemeteries place additional bins in them for waste (sorted and mixed) and increase the frequency of waste collection and disposal.

Request cemetery waste collection - either as a one-off or as an ongoing collaboration.

Cemetery waste is a relatively wide and diverse group. This includes, among others, candles (clean and soiled with wax), metal and plastic candle lids, artificial, cut and potted flowers (including pots), but also cleaning products and soiled cleaning cloths. Cemetery waste is catalogued in waste catalogue group 20 as municipal waste with the code 20 02 03 - other non-biodegradable waste.

Due to the classification of cemetery waste as municipal waste, they are subject to mandatory separate collection for paper, plastics and metal, glass, biowaste and an additional fraction - mixed waste.

The compulsory separate collection of cemetery waste not only reduces the costs of maintaining the necropolis, but also allows at least some of the valuable raw materials to be recovered. As statistics show, the scale of waste generated is enormous. Only between 27 October and 5 November 2023, the Warsaw MPO collected over 44 tonnes of waste from 2 necropolises: the Powązki and the Wolski Cemeteries. It is estimated that 3 to as much as 9 kg of waste per grave during All Saints' Day[III], which amounts to a total of around 100 000 tonnes of waste nationally. Unfortunately, many of them end up in the wrong bin, (usually a container for mixed waste), which rules out the possibility of returning it. Let's find out where to dispose of the most common cemetery waste.

Glass candles are not made of container glassand are therefore not recyclable. It should therefore be disposed of in the container for mixed waste. Other traditional candles: plastic, ceramic and clay must also go into the mixed waste.

If the candle is still in good condition and is reusable after the new arrangement has been placed in it, it is worthwhile leave it on a special rack, the so-called "candle holder.

Traditional candle refills are always soiled with wax and are not suitable for processing in a recycling facility. They should therefore be discarded to the mixed waste container.

Broken electronic LED candles are electro-waste (and therefore hazardous waste) that must be disposed of into a special container for electro-waste (usually red), return it to the PSZOK or to retailers collecting electro-waste. The used battery of such a candle should be removed and disposed of in a special battery container.

Cut flowers can be discarded for bio-waste, separating cellophane, ribbons and other additives from them. Cellophane and plastic ribbon should go into the yellow bin for plastics and metal, and fabric ribbon into mixed waste.

Artificial flowers should be discarded into a black container on mixed waste. 

The most environmentally friendly option recommends separating the pot (it can be reused or disposed of in the yellow bin), breaking off the twigs (they go into bio waste) and disposing of the soil with the roots of the plant in mixed waste.

In a slightly less optimal option, the entire chrysanthemum, together with the pot and soil, can be discarded to the mixed waste container.

If you don't know where to dispose of your remaining cemetery waste, use the waste search engine.

Optimisation of cemetery waste management is undoubtedly a major challenge for the waste industry, and not only in Poland. Struggling with the huge amount of waste from candles the Slovenian authorities have made the separate collection of used candles compulsorywhich are a separate fraction of municipal waste. The collection is carried out in special containers placed in or near cemeteries. Its principles are analogous to the Polish principles of collecting waste into a green bag - selectively collected candles may not be crushed, compacted, contaminated or mixed with other waste.

[I] https://www.prawo.pl/samorzad/segregacja-i-wywoz-odpadow-na-cmentarzu-frakcje-oplaty,520365.html

[II] https://businessinsider.com.pl/finanse/rozmawialismy-z-potentatem-zniczy-stad-ida-na-cala-europe-zdjecia/947640q

[III] https://tvn24.pl/biznes/z-kraju/1-listopada-swieto-wszystkich-swietych-polski-recykling-rocznie-przez-polskie-cmentarze-przewija-sie-100-120-tys-ton-odpadow-st7417954

On the occasion of the International Food Waste Awareness Day, which is celebrated on 29 September each year, Eurostat presented data for 2022 on the scale of food waste in EU countries. On the occasion of World Food Day, celebrated on 16 October, the data is presented below.

Food waste is one of the biggest global problems, affecting not only the economic but also the environmental and ethical spheres. Recently published Eurostat figures show that as much as 59.2 million tonnes of food waste will be generated in EU Member States in 2022. As much as 54% of this waste, or 32 million tonnes, was wasted in households. It can therefore be hazarded to say that each person in the EU threw away as much as 72 kg of food. If we translate these figures into an average five-person household, it turns out that in the whole of 2022, its inhabitants wasted as much as 360 kg of food, or almost 1 kg per day. Let's remember that we are only talking about food from household fridges and cupboards!

The data presented in the Eurostat Communication are taken from EU Member State reports prepared in accordance with the methodology defined in EC Decision 2019/1597 of 3 May 2019. Under the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), each country is obliged to submit an annual report on measuring food waste. 2022 was the third year in which reports were prepared in accordance with the methodology.

Let us recall that in 2020, i.e. in the first reporting year, a total of almost 57 million tonnes of food waste was generated, or 127 kg per capita. In 2021, this was 58.4 million tonnes and approximately 131 kg per average person in the Member States, respectively. Significantly, all of the quoted data were collected during the Covid-19 pandemic periodwhich has had a significant impact on the activities of the manufacturing and food processing sectors,

As reported by Eurostat:

The impact that the end of the lockdowns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic may have had on both industries is still being investigated.

Among those responsible for the generation of food waste, definitely dominated by the households already mentioned. The following places were followed by:

• food and beverage manufacturers - 19%, or more than 11 million tonnes,
• catering industry - 11%, or less than 7 million tonnes,
• primary production sector (agriculture) - 8%, or almost 5 million tonnes,
• retailers and other distributors - 8%, or just under 5 million tonnes.

It should be noted that entrepreneurs generating food waste are increasingly using professional composting machinerywhich enable this waste to be processed into pre-compost.

In addition to data for the EU as a whole, we also have data for 2022 for individual countries, including Poland. Total more than 4.5 million tonnes of food waste were generated in our country, of which:

• over 2.5 million tonnes in households,
• 720,000 tonnes in the primary production sector,
• 550,000 tonnes at processing companies,
• 470,000 tonnes at retail outlets,
• 260k in catering.

The aforementioned 4.5 million tonnes of food waste places us in an infamous 4th place among Community countries. Per capita, this is approximately 119 kg of wasted food. By contrast, we rank 16th in the EU as a whole with this result.

Interzero's range of eco-equipment also includes. small electric composter Oklin designed for households to help reduce food waste by creating compost from kitchen waste.

Check also, how to separate bio-waste.

Pursuant to Polish law, every entrepreneur who places packaged products on the market is obliged to conduct public education campaigns. The purpose of these campaigns is to inform and educate consumers. Furthermore, entrepreneurs are obliged to allocate at least 2% of the total value of packaging placed on the market in the previous year to educational activities. Interzero, as a leader in waste management and recycling, not only fulfils these obligations, but also meets the needs of the market by offering a wide range of educational services. Action Fraction is just one of the many projects that Interzero carries out to build environmental awareness in society.

Sources:

1. Eurostat, Food waste and food waste prevention - estimates, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Food_waste_and_food_waste_prevention_-_estimates#In_the_supply_and_consumption_sectors.2C_food_waste_generation_may_represent_10.25_of_food_supplied_in_the_EU
2. Eurostat, Food waste per capita in the EU remained stable in 2021, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20230929-2
3. Eurostat, Food waste: 127 kg per inhabitant in the EU in 2020, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20220925-2
4. European Foods Bank Federation, First EU-wide monitoring of food waste: 127 kg per inhabitant in the EU in 2020, https://www.eurofoodbank.org/first-eu-wide-monitoring-of-food-waste/

The work to construct the treaty follows the adoption of UNEA Resolution 5/14 of March 2022, in which the 175 countries have declared their willingness to conclude an agreement to end plastic waste pollution. However, this date has been put in doubt due to, among other things, the opposition of China, Saudi Arabia and the US to the inclusion of provisions on the control of plastic production in the treaty.

As Reuters reports, despite declarations in early 2024, US likely to decide to support plastic treaty, joining the ranks of countries calling for a gradual reduction in the amount of plastics produced. Support for the treaty has already been expressed by EU member states, South Korea, Peru and Rwanda, among others. The last round of treaty negotiations is scheduled for the second half of November 2024. It is noteworthy, this date comes just two weeks after the US presidential election, which may be crucial to the position that US representatives at the UN will ultimately take.

Developed within the UN framework, the treaty aims to oblige countries to end plastic pollution and to take action to protect the environment and human health from the effects of the production, use and generation of plastic waste. The treaty text is to include both binding and voluntary remedies. The far-reaching idea, on the other hand, is to move towards a global closed-loop economy for all plastics.

For EU member states, the planned The global measures are, as it were, in addition to the provisions arising from the so-called 'globalisation'. SUP plastic directivewhich also aimed to reduce plastic pollution. EU regulations not only imposed obligations on manufacturers to record, charge and label products containing plastics, but also forced to provide consumers with more environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic packaging disposable.

As a leader in sustainability, Interzero is following European trends and is ahead of global trends by introducing a service Made4Loop - a deposit system for reusable packaging that is an alternative to plastic-containing disposables. With Made4Loop, we help entrepreneurs to comply with the requirements introduced by the SUP Directive, as well as to prepare in advance for the new regulations in the emerging plastic treaty.

Implementation of the Made4Loop service is a guarantee for the smooth implementation of legal obligations (SUP, ROP), reducing waste management costs and improving ESG indicators. What's more, with customised packaging, cups and boxes for takeaway meals, we enable our customers to build an image as a socially responsible company with sustainable practices.

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