The plastic tax came into force on 1 January 2024. It was introduced to reduce the use of plastics, which are increasingly polluting the environment. However, Poles may have to pay more for shopping or eating out, between 20 and 25 groszy for plastic packaging.

At the beginning of the year, the plastic tax came into force. The amendment to the Act on Entrepreneurs’ Obligations in the Management of Certain Waste and Product Fee, which is to limit the use of single-use plastic items, was signed by President Andrzej Duda a few months ago. From 1 January 2024, charges will be added to single-use plastic packaging.

According to a decree of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, for a piece of ‘single-use plastic product that is packaging’, the surcharge is PLN 0.20 for beverage cups and PLN 0.25 for food containers.

The Ministry of Climate has determined the surcharge rates for individual types of packaging. For “single-use plastic beverage bottles of up to three litres, including their plastic caps and lids”, the rate is PLN 1 per kg.

Business owners are to phase out goods such as plastic straws, cutlery, chopsticks, plates, and food containers. It will also be the responsibility of the trader to inform their consumers about the harmful effects of single-use products on the environment. This will apply to products such as sanitary towels, tampons including applicators, wet wipes, tobacco products with filters containing plastic and beverage cups.

The aim of the amendments is to implement the provisions of a directive of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament into law. According to an OECD report, if measures are not taken, the amount of plastic waste will triple by 2060, resulting in a doubling of greenhouse gas emissions.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński