How to separate waste properly?
It is worth distinguishing between the two main types of waste in companies:
- Company municipal waste - this is waste similar to household waste, e.g. paper, plastic bottles, leftover food from the company kitchen, food packaging. Companies that produce it (e.g. offices, shops) are subject to standard waste segregation rules.
- Packaging and production waste - is waste generated during the packaging and shipping process, such as stretch film, bubble wrap, PE foam, cardboard boxes, packing tape. They are not treated like typical municipal waste and are subject to separate recycling rules. Companies must have a contract for the collection of such waste with a specialised recycling or disposal company.
Before you dispose of a product in the correct bin, consider whether it can be reused. If not, make sure it goes in the correct bin.
Remember to clean it of sticky tape, labels and other unwanted items before throwing it away. For example, stretch or bubble wrap, if not cleaned of paper labels and tape residue, may not be recycled. This step is crucial for effective waste treatment.
Where can we dispose of our products?
- Stretch and bubble film, protective film, laminates, PE foam, strapping tape
after being cleaned of labels and adhesive tape, should be sent to a recycling or waste collector or placed in a plastic bin.
- Cartons and paper packaging (corrugated cardboard, envelopes, paper fillers, angles):
remove the plastic parts and put them in the paper bin.
- Metal fasteners, wire fasteners, metal accessories and dispensers
should be placed in the metal and plastic bins. For larger items, it is worth checking whether they can be taken to a scrap metal recycling centre.
- Multi-material packaging (e.g. bubble envelopes, foil and cardboard packaging)
if they cannot be separated into individual raw materials, place them in the mixed waste container. Mixed waste also includes materials that cannot be recycled, e.g. contaminated packaging, used packing tape, soiled film.
- The SONG polyethylene foam and bubble wrap we manufacturer, as well as the finished products (sleeves, half-sleeves, bags, sheets) are 95-100% recyclable (A), as confirmed by an independent research institute: Łukasiewicz - Łódź Institute of Technology.
Why is it important to separate and recycle packaging?
According to the Central Statistical Office’s ‘Environmental Protection 2024’ report, 13.4 million tonnes of municipal waste was generated in Poland in 2023, an increase of 0.2% compared to the previous year. The average Pole produced 356.7 kg of waste per year, 1.9 kg more than in 2022.u.
Of this amount:
- 7.9 million tonnes was mixed waste , meaning that it had not been pre-sorted and could not be effectively recycled.
- 5.5 million tonnes were collected separately, but only 15.8 per cent of the total municipal waste was ultimately recycled.
- 30.9% of the waste was disposed of, i.e. probably landfilled or incinerated without energy recovery.
- 20% was thermally converted with energy recovery , meaning that the raw materials were not reused but converted to energy in the incineration process.
Could raw materials be better used?
These figures show that a huge proportion of raw materials could be recycled, but still end up in landfills or incinerators. The main problem is insufficient segregation at source, which turns potentially valuable waste into mixed waste that is more difficult to recycle.
This means that if companies and households segregated waste better at the dumping stage, it would be possible to significantly increase recycling rates. That’s why proper waste segregation is crucial – it not only reduces the amount of garbage going to landfills, but also reduces the cost of disposal and increases the amount of recovered raw materials.
📌 The full CSO report “Environmental Protection 2024” can be found here: stat.gov.pl
In addition, European Union directives require member countries to achieve 60% recycling of municipal waste by 2030. Your daily actions have a real impact on achieving this goal.
According to the Law on Waste (Journal of Laws 2013, item 21), every company is required to properly handle waste, including segregation and record-keeping. In addition, the Ordinance of the Minister of Climate of September 11, 2020. (Journal of Laws 2020 item 10) specifies detailed requirements for waste management in companies.
What does this mean in practice? Additional costs may be imposed on a company that does not segregate waste, and legal consequences may be brought against it. It is therefore worth implementing a policy that complies with these regulations to avoid potential problems.
Additional information
To learn more about waste segregation rules and local guidelines, visit the Ministry of Climate and Environment website.
Remember that your commitment to proper waste segregation contributes to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Get started today! Implement segregation rules in your company and see how simple changes can save money and have a positive impact on the environment.
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