Articles – wastetoeconomy.com

Without Dialogue, There Can Be No Good Sorting Facility. Competitive Procedure with Negotiation in the Construction and Modernisation of Municipal Waste Facilities

Construction and modernisation of municipal waste sorting facilities are among the most technologically complex public investments. Yet such projects are still frequently procured without meaningful dialogue with the market. This article explains why the competitive procedure with negotiation may provide a more rational and efficient framework for technologically complex investments than the traditional open procedure — and why Czech practice may offer valuable lessons for the Polish public procurement system.

May 17, 2026

The Quality of Project Preparation for Municipal Waste Sorting Facilities in Conditions of Systemic Uncertainty – an Analysis of 30 Preliminary Market Consultations in Poland (2021–2025)

The aim of this article is to present selected observations and conclusions arising from this analysis. It therefore addresses the following questions. What models of PMC can be identified in practice? Which aspects – technological, organisational or economic – dominate in consultations? What determines the quality of investment preparation? Which issues should be particularly emphasised in PMC in the context of increasing regulatory and market volatility?

March 24, 2026

What Will Determine the Future of Municipal Waste Sorting Plants in Poland?

Municipal waste sorting plants are currently under the greatest pressure in years – regulatory, market-related, and technological. Recycling targets are rising faster than the actual capabilities of installations, and the barrier is not a lack of knowledge or technology. The challenge is systemic: it stems from market conditions and inconsistent waste policy, which fail to create an environment that supports achieving recycling goals. In this context, a key question emerges: what will determine the future of municipal waste sorting plants in Poland?

January 7, 2026

Modernisation of Municipal Waste Sorting Plants – How to Prepare It? The Role of Preliminary Market Consultations

This article addresses three key areas. The first one is the modernisation of municipal waste sorting plants – its nature, needs, and directions. The second concerns communication between the contracting authority (investor) and the contractor, which forms the foundation for proper investment preparation. The third element is preliminary market consultations (PMC), a tool that enables such communication.

In this context, several essential questions arise: How to prepare substantively for the modernisation of a sorting plant? How to define the directions of modernisation so they correspond to the real needs of the waste‑management system? How – and to what extent – a dialogue may take place between the contracting authority (a public entity) and the contractor?

November 19, 2025

Modernisation of Municipal Waste Sorting Plants in Poland: Needs, Limitations and Opportunities

The purpose of this article is to explore the following questions: Why is there a need to modernise municipal waste sorting plants in Poland? What factors limit the modernisation process? What guidance for modernisation can be drawn from recent changes in the legal framework governing waste sorting facilities? How is the need for modernisation actually shaped? And how should preparation for such an investment begin?

October 20, 2025

How will Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) affect packaging waste sorting technology?

What will be the practical consequences of implementing PPWR for packaging waste sorting in Poland? How will the anticipated changes affect the technology and efficiency of sorting processes? Will the solutions provided in PPWR compensate Polish municipal waste sorting facilities for the effects of the deposit-refund system’s implementation starting in October 2025 and the lack of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system? What significance will PPWR have for waste management in Poland?

September 9, 2025

EPR system. Will Poland use the opportunity to create a driving force for its waste management economy?

The introduction of an EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) system in Poland will cause systemic changes in waste management. It will therefore be crucial whether the new solutions — beyond just financing the management of packaging waste — will address the current needs and challenges of this sector. Equally important are the directions and mechanisms that will be implemented in connection with the planned regulations.

June 11, 2025

Why the Czech EPR System could be an indication for Poland?

The purpose of this article is to present the basic mechanisms of the Czech EPR system and to try to answer these questions: What is the level of municipal and packaging waste recycling in the Czech Republic? What is the average monthly cost of waste management per capita? Why is the Czech Republic investing in the construction of waste incineration plant? Who covers the costs of collecting, sorting, and recycling packaging waste? Does the eco-modulation mechanism affect the costs incurred by producers? What is the annual budget of the Czech EPR system? What are its funds spent on? What are the factors that determine the effectiveness of the Czech EPR system and waste management? What are the results of this system? Can the Czech EPR model serve as an indication for Polish solutions?

April 1, 2025

Municipal waste sorting facilities facing new challenges in Poland: increasing recycling rates, the deposit return system, and the Extended Producer Responsibility

The coming year will bring three key changes in Poland: a significant increase in the required recycling level, decisions regarding the introduction of a deposit return system, and the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). These changes will have a significant impact on communal waste management systems, and in particular on municipal waste sorting facilities. The aim of this article is to try to answer the following questions: What conditions must be met for facilities to remain on the path of achieving waste management goals after the introduction of the deposit return system? What actions can municipal waste sorting facilities themselves take to improve their situation after the changes that will occur as a result of the introduction of the deposit return system? Is compensating facilities for losses caused by the introduction of a deposit return system in the form of a subsidy for waste processing a sufficient solution?

December 9, 2024

Economic consequences of introducing a deposit return system for municipal waste sorting plants

Starting from 2025, a deposit return system will come into force in Poland. Streams of PET bottles and aluminum cans that will be directed to the deposit return system will no longer be found in the streams delivered to sorting plants intended for municipal waste. So what will be the impact of the deposit return system on the achievement of waste management goals? What economic effects will the facilities feel in connection with the loss of PET packaging and aluminum cans in the structure of waste delivered for sorting?

October 21, 2024

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