The deposit system comes into force. Summary of the Interzero Environmental Conference
What was the focus of this year’s Interzero Environmental Conference?
Changes in business and the environment
The market situation in the environmental protection and related sectors is dynamic and subject to regulations, including a number of directives. Existing legal changes concern especially areas such as packaging reduction, waste prevention and the use of recyclates in packaging. Therefore, continuous education and expansion of knowledge in these areas are crucial for enterprises. Having up-to-date knowledge of legal regulations and other aspects related to ecology and sustainable development is an indispensable element of business management, both in the context of production, promotion and sales.
According to Monika Grom, vice-president of the management board of Interzero, the need to have knowledge about innovative approaches to waste management and exchange experiences with experts and stakeholders cannot be underestimated. Therefore, Interzero emphasizes the importance of providing practical tips, providing reliable knowledge and facilitating the implementation of necessary changes. An example of such activities is the recently organized Environmental Conference 2023. The deposit system is a challenge for all those who introduce beverages into the packaging loop, but at the same time it offers an excellent opportunity to transform the way waste is managed and use a closed loop model. As experts participating in the conference emphasize, we are ready to implement a deposit system
You should talk to entrepreneurs
The Environmental Conference has been held regularly for many years and this year’s tenth anniversary edition was a continuation of this series. The conference organizers create a platform that allows participants to exchange knowledge and discuss legal issues related to environmental protection. In the current edition, given the numerous legal changes and regulations that need to be assimilated in a short period of time, special emphasis has been placed on providing participants with clear knowledge and specific solutions.
Together with the Polish Chamber of Recovery and Recycling of Packaging (PIOIRO), we are preparing to support entrepreneurs in adapting to new legal regulations. More information can be found on the PIOIRO website . As Interzero, we are the only official distributor of Sielaff brand bottle dispensers and we are already testing them in the retail chain in Warsaw and Łódź to show entrepreneurs and consumers in advance that we are prepared for these changes – summed up Paweł Lesiak, vice-president of the management board of Interzero.
About the Environmental Conference
The Interzero Environmental Conference is an annual gathering of stakeholders and experts in the field of environmental protection. It is a two-day event full of inspiring lectures, during which participants have the opportunity to expand their knowledge about applicable legal regulations and other issues related to ecology and sustainable development. Participation in the conference also offers an opportunity to learn about innovative and proven solutions in the field of waste management and to exchange experiences with other event participants.
Please read the full summary at the link HERE
Deposit system - new obligations of entrepreneurs introducing packaged beverages and running commercial units resulting from changes to the provisions of the Act on packaging and packaging waste management
Take part in the training – Deposit system – new obligations of entrepreneurs introducing packaged drinks and running commercial units resulting from changes to the provisions of the Act on packaging and packaging waste management
We cordially invite you to the webinar entitled “Refund system – new obligations of entrepreneurs introducing packaged beverages and running commercial units resulting from changes to the provisions of the Act on packaging and packaging waste management”, which will be held on October 26, 2023 (Thursday).
The online training will be conducted by: Paweł Sosnowski, Management Board Representative for environmental regulations at Interzero.
The scope of the webinar:
- The scope of entrepreneurs subject to the obligations arising from the establishment of the deposit system,
- The scope of packaging covered by the deposit system,
- Levels of collection of packaging waste and packaging,
- Labeling of packages covered by a deposit,
- Deposit amount,
- Minimum requirements for created deposit systems,
- Representing Entity – entity responsible for creating the deposit system. Requirements for establishment of the representing entity and the scope of its activities,
- Permission to create a deposit system,
- Operators of commercial entities – the requirement to join the deposit system and the resulting obligations,
- Records and reporting,
- Product fee.
A detailed thematic scope and the registration page can be found at the link HERE
Registration for the webinar lasts until: October 26, 2023 at 8:00.
We invite you!
"Faction action, or the puzzle of a very round idea" - a report from our workshops in the Royal Łazienki Park
“Faction action, or the puzzle of a very round idea” – a report from our workshops in the Royal Łazienki Park
What does precompost and regranulate smell like? Where to throw away spices, medicines or a broken iron? How to repair the lid? What does the seedling symbol on the packaging mean? These and many other questions were answered during our workshops.
During our workshops, parents and children together solved 12 puzzles revolving around the idea of a circular world. Together they moved between specially prepared stations with individual tasks, matched various elements, practiced careful observation and verified their knowledge in the field of selective collection. Finally, we joined forces to discover the story of the circular economy. We have learned that garbage is not unnecessary waste, but important, often strategic raw materials that should circulate in the system and be used again and again to create new items.
Each participant of the “Faction Action, or the puzzle of a very round idea” workshop received a gift – our original educational game .
The workshops were conducted as part of the Re:generacja program, supporting the renewal of the Łazienki Królewskie ecosystem and implemented by UNEP/GRID Warsaw and Interzero Packaging Recovery Organization. This is one of the public educational campaigns, financed from funds donated to build ecological awareness in society by the company’s clients. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with other activities of the Ecological Education Team, such as Eco without edges , EkoPaka , or Punkt Zwrotny .
Want to know more? Contact us at kontakt@interzero.pl
Sustainable office space? It's possible with the Zero Waste Office service!
Sustainable office space? It’s possible with the Zero Waste Office service!
Are you a manager or owner of commercial real estate? You are a specialist for Environmental Protection, Green Officer or Sustainable Manager and you want to introduce a change in the office that will have a positive impact on the working environment and the natural environment?
You should get to know our Zero Waste Office service!
What is it about?
The Zero Waste Office provides comprehensive support that will allow you to create an ecological and environmentally friendly workplace. Our offer includes an audit during which we will thoroughly analyze the functioning and structure of your office. We will also review internal documentation and provide you with a specific report containing recommendations and ready-made solutions to help you move towards a more sustainable future . Additionally, we offer educational and communication activities aimed at your employees, as well as access to consultations with our experts to support you at every stage of the process.
By choosing the Zero Waste Office service, you will receive comprehensive support in the green transformation and in achieving environmental goals. We will adjust the scope of activities to your expectations, the nature of the work and the size of the company.
Details of the offer can be found at the link: https://biurozerowaste.pl/
A new initiative by Interzero and Mama Projekt - the Turning Point educational center in fashion and the fight against greenwashing
photo Mikołaj Tym
A new initiative by Interzero and Mama Projekt – the Turning Point educational center in fashion and the fight against greenwashing
We live fast, we produce fast, we consume fast. Fast fashion wins hearts and achieves high profits, regardless of the social and environmental consequences. Every year, 92 million tons of textile waste goes to landfills, and only 1% is recycled. At the same time, for young people, appearance and fashion are a means of expressing themselves and building their identity. How to find your way in a world where producers often pull the wool over our eyes with ecological slogans and countless marketing techniques bombard us with their messages? EkoCentrum Punkt Zwrotny comes to the rescue – the place where change begins.
About fast fashion at FSO
The main theme of the Turning Point is the impact of fast fashion and packaging on the natural environment. The topics and methods of conducting innovative educational activities have been tailored to the interests of young people. Thanks to an engaging narrative, learning through discovery and solving puzzles, teenagers gain practical knowledge of ecology.
– The opening of the ecological education center in the former FSO car factory is a symbol of the green transformation taking place around us. As the Interzero Group, we focus on our pro-environmental activities, primarily on limiting the waste of natural resources, closing the raw material cycle and waste management. Our ambition related to ecological education is to talk about civilization challenges in an accessible, engaging and interesting way. The Turning Point, of which we are a patron and partner, is an example of this. I am very glad that we could get involved in this initiative – says Monika Grom, vice-president of the Interzero Group in Poland.
Mysterious rooms
There are four themed rooms in the Turning Point. One of them was substantively developed by Interzero experts. After entering it, visitors receive a message from the future and a garbage sorting task. The main goal of this part of the story is to present the impact of proper waste segregation on recycling and closing the circulation of packaging and raw materials.
– At the Turning Point, we create fashion for ecology. We do this through activating teaching methods that have proven successful in previous projects implemented together with Mama Projekt, such as the Ekoeksperymentarium exhibition or online games. This time we are setting off into the near future, showing today the reasons why textiles will be covered by the selective waste collection system from 2025. We want to educate through experience and thus change behavior, stimulating reflection and responsible attitudes, which is why the slogan of the Turning Point is “You are the change” – says Katarzyna Kacz, manager of educational projects for children and youth at the Interzero Group.
In each of the four thematic rooms of the Turning Point, groups of students look for answers to questions related to the environmental consequences of the activities of the clothing industry. After completing all the tasks, they meet with the animator in a special dialogue zone, where they discuss the conclusions from this journey through the world of fashion and packaging.
– Reports claim that young people have heard about climate change, but do not have sufficient knowledge and tools to understand its consequences, which is why they often adopt a passive attitude towards this phenomenon. “If I have to die anyway, let it be in fashionable shoes,” one teenager told us during interviews. This was the impulse to create an alternative form of ecological education. Game play, cooperation, good graphics, multimedia and expert knowledge provided in an interactive form are the ingredients of the recipe for Turning Point. We have been designing innovative tools for ecological education for 10 years, and creating an interactive EcoCentrum was Mama Projekt’s biggest dream. Come by and see for yourself how it turned out – invites Małgosia Żmijska from the Mama Projekt collective.
EkoCentrum Punkt Zwrotny is located at ul. Jagiellońska 88, in the former FSO gate (currently FSO Park). Registration for free workshops is available via the website www.punktzwrotny.com . On weekends, it will host less waste workshops, inspiring meetings and clothes exchanges. It is also possible to rent the EkoCentrum space.
It’s time for the Turning Point! 🚀🌱 Welcome!
We are cleaning Poniatówka - Interzero at the finale of the World Cleanup Day campaign
We are cleaning Poniatówka – Interzero at the finale of the World Cleanup Day campaign
World Cleanup Day is a cyclical event that we have been celebrating globally since 2008. For five years, Let’s Do It World, the world’s largest pro-ecological social movement, has been responsible for its organization. The organization is accredited by the United Nations Program for… Environmental Protection (UNEP) and the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA). As part of the event, citizens of 190 countries around the world unite and clean up their local neighborhoods for a better and cleaner future for the entire planet.
The Polish final of the campaign took place on September 23, co-organized by the Planet Heroes foundation. Interzero appeared at the event as a partner of the campaign – our employees not only supported the cleaning of Warsaw’s Poniatówka, but also prepared an educational field game about sorting waste. Additionally, the meeting participants were treated to our original memo game ‘Akcja-frakcja’, which will help them consolidate the acquired knowledge about which fractions particular waste should go to.
Let’s play and learn together how to segregate waste properly.
Visit us at the POLECO 2023 Fair in Poznań!
Visit us at the POLECO 2023 Fair in Poznań!
We cordially invite you to the Interzero stand ( Pavilion 5, Stand 49 ) at the POLECO International Environmental Protection Fair, which will take place between October 17 and 19, 2023 at the Poznań International Fair. As part of the event, we will present selected eco-devices supporting the circular economy (including: Sielaff bottle dispensers, the PEL BriteBin solar bin and the Oklin composting machine) and the Interzero Waste Platform. We encourage you to visit our stand – our experts will be at your disposal.
The full range of our eco-devices is available at: https://ekourzaczenia.interzero.pl/
This year’s fair will feature exhibitors from Poland, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Sweden. The organizers have prepared a wide range of lectures on waste management, waste processing, new technologies and water management. The full agenda of the event is available at: https://poleco.pl/pl/
Admission to the event for industry professionals is free – we encourage you to register at the following address: https://prezentacja.tobilet.pl/pl/poleco-2023-rejestracja-dla-prozdrowieistow/
See you at the Interzero stand!
World Cleanup Day – Cooperation between Interzero and Planet Heroes
World Cleanup Day – Cooperation between Interzero and Planet Heroes
On September 16, we celebrate World Cleanup Day – the biggest ecological holiday of the year. On this day, garbage collections are organized throughout Poland, and in the largest cities, events for residents are co-organized together with local authorities.
Interzero became a partner of the World Cleanup Day initiative in Poland. As part of the event, we invite you to our stand at a picnic in Warsaw. We will prepare a family field game for you about recycling, raw materials and proper sorting of waste. The youngest will also be able to use educational materials prepared especially for this occasion.
Cleaning up the capital on the occasion of World Cleanup Day is planned at Poniatówka beach at 10:00 a.m. on September 16. The Warsaw Beach People, who regularly engage in cleaning the Vistula beaches and forests, encourage all Warsaw residents to take part in this action.
Details of the campaign HERE
1000 lives of one cup - Carlsberg Group and Interzero in the "1 instead of 1000" campaign
1000 lives of one cup – Carlsberg Group and Interzero in the “1 instead of 1000” campaign
Understanding the ecological problems we face is the key to solving them. The products we choose, how we use energy, and how we segregate waste affect the state of the environment now and in the future.
Environmental education helps you understand why these choices matter. We can support environmental education by participating in workshops, lectures and information activities, or we can educate others ourselves. And this is what we, as Interzero, try to do constantly.
Festivals attract hundreds or even thousands of participants, which means huge amounts of disposable cups are used only once and thrown away. These cups, often made of plastic or Styrofoam, end up in trash bins or thrown on the ground, leading to huge amounts of waste.
Together with the Carlsberg Group, we are creating the “1 instead of 1000” project, which raises awareness of how our everyday decisions influence the shaping of a more sustainable future. One reusable Brooklyn cup can replace as many as 1,000 disposable cups. This eco-friendly mug appeared at SBM FFestival in August and will go to further events of this type.
Participants of the Warsaw festival could not only use the mentioned reusable cups, but also listen to panel discussions on ecology and the future of packaging, as well as do something for their minds – go to yoga workshops or talk to a psychologist.
Environmental education and involvement in campaigns promoting ecological behavior help us better understand how our actions affect our environment and how we can act more responsibly. This is a key step in moving towards a sustainable future where we preserve our planet for future generations.
What does the deposit system in Germany look like and how does it work? Interzero in Berlin
What does the deposit system in Germany look like and how does it work? Interzero in Berlin
The deposit system in Germany, known as “Pfand” or “Pfandsystem”, is a well-developed and widely used system that aims to encourage consumer recycling and reduce packaging waste. In the case of disposable bottles, the deposit amount is 25 euro cents. The deposit price for reusable bottles is set by the manufacturer and ranges from 8 to 25 euro cents.
The entire deposit system covers up to 18 billion packages per year, of which 95% is handled by bottle lockers and 5% by the bag system.
On August 24, together with employees from the Eurocash Group, we went to Germany to look at the deposit system in practice. Together we visited stores with both bag collection systems and automatic ones. We also visited the Interzero Reclamation Center, where waste is sorted into appropriate fractions.
Thanks to the trip, we could see with our own eyes how retail chains deal with German legislation. We were able to exchange experiences with our partners and learn better about the procedures taking place in the visited units.
The deposit system will soon come into force in Poland. As Interzero, we strive to understand the needs of the industry as best as possible. We improve our offer, analyze the successes of others and explore development opportunities. We believe that together we will be able to overcome legal challenges and create a system as efficient as our western neighbors.
Take advantage of our experience and create a deposit system with us. We will provide you with solutions to facilitate waste collection and logistics and will take over the reporting obligation. More information HERE and HERE .
