Where to dispose of glass candles? Cemetery waste management
As All Saints' Day approaches, the efficient management of cemetery waste becomes particularly important. It is around this holiday that we generate the most waste, the sorting and subsequent management of which can be a challenge for both cemetery visitors and waste companies.
On what basis is the management of cemetery waste carried out?
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 has its own code in BDO
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.
Segregation of cemetery waste - not only ecological, but also economical
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.
Where to dispose of glass candles?
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.
Where to dispose of candle refills?
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.
Where to dispose of LED battery-powered candles?
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.
Where to dispose of cut flowers?
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.
Where to dispose of artificial flowers, bunting and wreaths?
Artificial flowers should be discarded into a black container on mixed waste.
Where to dispose of potted chrysanthemums?
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.
Selective collection of candle waste
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