New waste sorting regulations: Will they benefit everyone?
The Ministry for Climate and the Environment is currently planning significant changes regarding the sorting of construction and demolition waste. The initial drafts of these plans are expected to be adopted in the first half of 2024. However, various individuals have raised concerns regarding the ministry's ideas and believe that they require further consideration.
Many people associate the word 'waste' with plastic cups strewn across the streets, glass bottles littering pavements, or discarded chewing gum. However, there are other types of waste that are often overlooked, such as construction and demolition waste. Those in power have proposed new ideas to address the methods of handling it.
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According to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (DGP), the Ministry of Climate and Environment plans to introduce a new demolition and construction waste law in the first half of this year. The proposed law would make segregation of this type of waste optional at the source, meaning that it would be up to the individuals involved in the construction or demolition to decide whether or not to sort the waste. However, not everyone is enthusiastic about this idea.
New rules for waste sorting
According to an article on serwisy.gazetaprawna.pl, changes to the Waste Act will come into effect on 1 January 2025 and will affect the sorting of construction and demolition waste. These changes will have a significant impact on both individuals and companies who are planning construction or renovation projects in the near future.
Article 101a, which will be included in the Ministry of Climate and Environment's planned law, states that construction and demolition waste must be collected selectively and divided into at least six categories: wood, metals, glass, plastics, gypsum, and mineral waste (including concrete, brick, tiles, ceramic materials, and stones). This represents an increase in the number of categories over the existing rules.
As reported by DGP, earlier drafts of the regulations proposed that entities would be required to separate construction and demolition waste at the place of origin, i.e., where it was produced. However, it is currently unclear to whom the obligation to collect and dispose of this waste will apply. The Ministry of Climate and Environment is still reviewing these provisions and examining how they should be interpreted.
Consequences of the new waste sorting rules
The Ministry of Climate and Environment has received numerous inquiries and concerns regarding a new idea. If the proposed changes are implemented by January 1, 2025, it will increase the cost of collecting and separating construction and demolition waste. This change is not welcomed by everyone. The reason for the added cost is that entities will be required to collect and separate the waste into six different fractions.
