CIRCULAR THURSDAYS 2023
Circular Thursdays.
The Best Deposit Return System for Poland is a series of webinars dedicated to analyzing the functioning of effective deposit return systems.
During four Thursday sessions — on March 2 and 30, April 27, and May 18, 2023 — we invited experts from Lithuania, Norway, Finland, and Slovakia, where well-functioning deposit return systems are already in place. The series offered a unique opportunity for direct discussion with experts, asking questions, and clarifying any doubts about how a properly designed deposit return system should work.
WHY?
According to the Circularity Gap Report, Poland's economy is only 10.2% circular, meaning that nearly 90% of materials and resources used in the Polish economy do not return to the cycle. A deposit return system is one of the most effective tools that can help improve this situation.
Moreover, EU legislation requires us to achieve high recovery rates for packaging materials by 2025. The regulations introducing a deposit system in Poland were initially expected to come into force in 2022. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for the final version of the draft law, and its assumptions continue to change.
MARCH 3, 2023
LITHUANIAN Deposit Return System (DRS)
Gintaras Varnas, Director General of Užstato Sistemos Administratorius (USAD), presented the Lithuanian deposit return system.
This model is one of the newest in Europe. Introduced in 2016, it led to the recycling of as much as 90% of beverage containers in just its second year of operation. Today, the system collects over 600 million single-use containers annually.
MARCH 30, 2023
Norwegian Deposit Return System (DRS)
During the webinar on March 30, we hosted Kjell Olav Maldum, CEO of Infinitum AS.
Since 1999, this organization has been responsible for the collection of plastic bottles and cans across Norway.
During the session, we learned about the key measures implemented to build one of the most effective recycling systems in the world.
APRIL 23, 2023
Finnish Deposit Return System (DRS)
The guest of the webinar was Tommi Vihavainen, Director of Communications and Production Services at PALPA — the organization operating Finland’s deposit-return system for plastic and glass bottles as well as beverage cans since 1996.
Finland achieves a remarkable 93% collection and recycling rate. Interestingly, it is one of the few countries that includes high-alcohol-content beverage bottles in its deposit system.
Join the webinar to learn what contributes to the success of the Finnish deposit-return system.
May 18, 2023
SLOVAKIAN
Deposit Return System (DRS)
The guest of the webinar was Marián Áč, CEO of SPRÁVCA ZÁLOHOVÉHO SYSTÉMU, the administrator of Slovakia’s deposit-return system, which has been operating since 2022.
Despite a very rapid implementation and minimal time to build the necessary infrastructure, Slovakia achieved a recycling rate of over 70% for cans and bottles last year, with a goal of reaching 90% by 2025.