Waste - State and impacts (Poland)

SOER 2010 Common environmental theme (Deprecated)

Topics: Resource efficiency and waste

This page was archived on 21 Mar 2015 with reason: A new version has been published

SOER Common environmental theme from Poland

Topic: Waste

Published: 26 Nov 2010 Modified: 11 May 2020

Fig. 1: Total waste generated in Poland, 2005-2008 (Source: GUS)

Fig. 2: Municipal waste collected selectively in Poland, 2008 (Source: GUS)

In 2008, a total of 124 974 000 Mg of waste was generated in Poland, and 12 194 000 Mg of municipal waste was collected. A total of 320 kg of municipal waste was generated per person in 2008. The main method of municipal waste management in Poland is still landfill, which accounted for 8 693 200 Mg in 2008, although the percentage of waste going to landfill is gradually declining. 62 700 Mg of municipal waste was subject to thermal processing, and 292 400 Mg to biological processing. 682 000 Mg of municipal waste was collected separately.

Fig. 3: Waste management in Poland 1998-2008 (Source: GUS)

Other waste (excluding municipal waste) generated in Poland in 2008, 20 289 700 Mg was deposited on landfills, 335 400 Mg was thermally treated, 225 900 Mg was composted, 86 124 800 Mg was recovered and 3 922 600 Mg was put into temporary storage.

In 2008, 42 211 319 batteries were recovered, and 2 696 780 were recycled. More than 2 million nickel-cadmium batteries (2 066 050) were recovered and 2 061 265 were recycled. 151 600 Mg of tyres were recovered and 42 400 Mg were recycled. 85 900 Mg of oil was recovered and 65 000 Mg was recycled.

Fig. 4: Packaging waste: levels of recovery and recycling in Poland, 2006-2008 (Source: MŚ)

In 2008, 2 216 000 Mg of packaging waste was recovered in Poland, of which 1 794 400 Mg was recycled. Over the last three years there has been an increase in the recovery and recycling of packaging waste in Poland. In 2008, 56 426 Mg of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) was collected, of which 49 790 Mg was processed. Of the processed WEEE, 22 138 Mg was recycled and 629 Mg was recovered.