Record attendance, heated debates and key industry challenges - a summary of the Interzero 2026 Environmental Conference

What was discussed at the Interzero 2026 Environmental Conference?

Record attendance, four expert debates and dozens of questions from the floor - this is how the 13th edition of the Interzero Environmental Conference, held on 20-21 May 2026 at the Grand Hotel in Łódź, can be summarised in a nutshell. The event was attended by almost 200 environmental experts and business representatives, and the intense discussions confirmed that the industry today faces some of the biggest regulatory challenges of recent years.

On new regulations and business challenges at the 2026 Environment Conference

New obligations for introducers, the future of packaging design, extended producer responsibility and digital product passports were just some of the topics that dominated the 13th edition of the Interzero Environmental Conference. The agenda included 13 lectures and four panel discussions, Each panel provided an opportunity to confront different perspectives - business, legislative, scientific and environmental - and was the starting point for further discussions outside the conference hall. Each panel provided an opportunity to confront different perspectives - business, legislative, scientific and environmental - and became a starting point for further discussions outside the conference room.

This year's Interzero Environmental Conference has once again confirmed its position as one of the most important environmental events in Poland. I am extremely pleased that we managed to invite not only environmental experts, but also representatives of business, industry organisations and the scientific community to the discussion. Numerous questions from the floor and interactions between panellists and participants showed that the entire industry today needs a space for the exchange of experiences and dialogue on the directions of legislative changes. I am proud that we managed to create such a space at the Environmental Conference. - said Agata Ryś, Member of the Management Board of Interzero.

The strategic partners of the 13th Environmental Conference were the company Woodeco, the market leader in wood-based materials, and the Polish Chamber of Recovering and Recycling of Packaging (PIOIRO).. Bergmann, a manufacturer of waste management machines, also became a partner. Honorary patronage for the event was taken up by Joanna Skrzydlewska, Marshal of the Łódź Voivodeship, Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź, UNEP/GRID-Warsaw, IOŚ-PIB, the Lewiatan Confederation, the Problematics Foundation and PARP. Industry patrons, on the other hand, included GS1 Poland and the Institute for Innovation and Responsible Development innowo.

In line with previous editions, this year will also The conference themes revolved around new environmental regulations and their effects, and the phrases „PPWR” and „extended producer responsibility” were used in all cases.

The discussion on legislative changes was opened by Interzero's Executive Vice President, Paweł Lesiak with a lecture From regulation to practice: how PPWR and ROP affect companies in Poland and the EU. Using practical examples Interzero's vice-president presented to the conference participants the solutions that businesses are already implementing today to meet new environmental obligations. He also outlined the opportunities and risks for business associated with the introduction of the PPWR regulation and the growing uncertainty over the shape of the new ROP system in Poland.

Similar in nature was the lecture by Paweł Sosnowski, Director of Environmental Consultancy and Plenipotentiary of Interzero's Management Board for Environmental Regulations, who discussed the new packaging regulations in detail in the EU and outlined the timetable for the introduction of further obligations and requirements. His speech was not short of legislative tidbits and behind-the-scenes information about the implementing legislation currently being developed to supplement the provisions of the PPWR.

In addition to the two main legislative strands, the agenda of the Environmental Conference also touched on Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on waste shipments, which took effect on 21 May 2026.The new rules on transboundary waste shipments and the Przemysław Kurowicki, expert on cross-border waste shipments, talked about the functioning of the EU DIWASS system..

Four debates, dozens of questions and a lively exchange of experiences

Of particular interest to participants and invited guests were the expert debates that diversified the programme of the 13th Interzero Environmental Conference. The common denominators of all discussion panels were New regulations - PPWR and ROP - and their impact on the textile, packaging and e-commerce industries. As the participants in the debate highlighted The waste hierarchy in practice: PPWR from the perspective of producers, processors and consumers, The recent legislative changes do not only affect the management of packaging waste, but the entire life cycle of packaging. Their effects will therefore be felt by manufacturers, importers, logistics companies and the e-commerce sector.

The discussion on e-commerce reignited during the last debate of the conference E-commerce in the face of the green transition: how Polish and European environmental regulations will change e-commerce in the coming years, attended by:

• Mateusz Ostrowski - lawyer and web developer,
• Łukasz Czarnowski - EPR expert, International Key Account Manager at Interzero,
• Anna Bojja - Allegro regulatory expert,
• Jan Banaś - founder and managing director of Koceo.

Experts pointed out the need for equal treatment of all players on the EU market while emphasising the role of authorised representatives to facilitate the enforcement of environmental obligations for companies conducting cross-border e-sales.

Not so long ago, e-commerce waste was nobody's business and the responsibility for its management fell on consumers and local authorities. Now the EU is making it clear: the polluter has to pay and take responsibility for what it puts on the market. This is a step in the right direction - e-commerce is already responsible for 20% of sales, the hallmark of which are cardboard boxes, foil packets and bubble envelopes. Our virtual shopping activity will generate more and more tangible waste and increasingly broaden producer responsibility. Thus, the demand for EPR and e-commerce waste management services will grow. As Interzero, we are already prepared to provide these, regardless of the scale of the producer's operations. - Lukasz Czarnowski of Interzero said shortly after the debate.

The most talked-about part of the Environmental Conference was the debate on the future of packaging. The panellists considered, whether it is possible to create the „perfect package”, that meets the expectations of producers and consumers, meets logistical and legislative requirements without losing functionality.

The topics of the practical aspects of the Packaging Ordinance and the challenges of eco-design of packaging resonated not only in the debates, but also in the individual talks by experts. The wider context of the effects of PPWR was presented by Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump of Interzero Plastic Innovations emphasising that the first difficulty arises right from the start - when sourcing quality recyclate, which is currently a scarce commodity.

Jedrzej Przeździęk, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Paxit.pl, raised the interesting issue of reducing the void ratio in cardboard packaging and presented design options more effective packaging for e-commerce.

An inspiring discussion on the relationship between recycling and the use of virgin wood was undertaken by representatives of Woodeco, which was a strategic partner of this year's Environmental Conference. In their presentation Aleksander Majerz and Bogdan Warchoł emphasised the importance of wooden packaging for GOZ - They are the main source of recycled wood and at the same time one of the biggest beneficiaries of the recovered raw material.

On the second day of the event Łukasz Czarnowski, International Key Account Manager and EPR expert, highlighted the growing problem of waste generated by the development of the digital economy and e-commerce. He also outlined the risks posed by legislative delays in implementing a proper ROP model and introducing the institution of an authorised representative. As the expert concluded: as a result, we all contribute to the waste coming to us from other countries.

Interesting information was provided by presentation by Magdalena Fertsch-Ślęk from GS1 Polska, who explained the topic of digital product passports (DPP) and their relevance to the circular economy. Participants were able to learn how the Digital Product Passport is supposed to work in practice and even see a sample passport developed according to GS1 standards.

A respite from the legislative difficulties and challenges proved to be a lecture by SodaStream representatives - Katarzyna Konwinska, Head of Marketing and Bubble Revolution SodaStream CE and Ireneusz Janiczek, Brand Manager from SodaStream Poland, who argued that the whole world needs positive messages and better, optimistic stories. These are the ones that more effectively motivate consumers to change their habits to more sustainable ones - without pressure, without fear and without guilt-inducing messages.

Not just debates - ASP exhibition and partner zone during the Environmental Conference

Events related to the Interzero Environmental Conference took place not only on stage, but also off stage. There were dedicated networking spaces for participants and a stands of partners Woodeco and SodaStream, where sustainable products from both brands were on display. The exhibition area also included a display of Interzero eco-equipment and Interzero Advisory point, where experts answered questions related to current legislation, environmental obligations and reporting.

A new feature of the 13th Environmental Conference was the exhibition „Packaging - Need or Excess?” by students of the Faculty of Industrial Forms at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. It presented original packaging designs for everyday products developed according to the principles of circularity, material minimisation and eco-design. In many cases, the student concepts touched on exactly the same issues that the experts discussed during the debates on the future of packaging.

The 13th edition of the Interzero Environmental Conference is now history, and the topics discussed and the cooperation established behind the scenes will continue to change the face of the environmental protection industry for many months to come. A large role in this was played by the event's media partners - Rzeczpospolita, the Chamber of Electronic Economy and the rp.pl, Chemia i Biznes, Plastech, ecoekonomia, ESGinfo.pl, tworzywa.org, RynekPapierniczy.pl, Polska Ekologia and Świat Druku portals - who made sure that information about the conference reached as wide a circle of recipients as possible. To all those present in the conference halls of the Grand Hotel thank you for your participation and active participation in the discussions.

We encourage you to keep an eye on future events organised by Interzero and We would like to invite you to the Interzero 2027 Environmental Conference today.