It's besides early to grow the bail system

– We are not against the improvement of the bail system. We are opposed to deciding on its extension before we know how the current strategy actually works and how much it costs. Today, the strategy is inactive stabilizing. Infrastructure development, integration of IT and logistics solutions and the collection of first experiences are underway. First we request data and a reliable assessment, and then we request to decide on further responsibilities – he says Piotr Mazurek, Deputy manager of the Energy Department and GOZ Confederation Leviathan.

The bailout strategy is at the improvement stage

The current bailout strategy is inactive in development. Infrastructure and logistics and IT solutions are being developed and marketplace participants gain experience in its operation. The Leviathan assessment at this phase does not yet have adequate data to reliably measure the actual costs and efficiency of the system.

Therefore, before deciding to extend the system, a full performance assessment is needed, including the costs of trade, producers, operators and consumers. The Confederation of Leviathan besides calls for the collection of actual data on the costs of operation of the strategy by the Ministry of Climate and Environment and their comprehensive analysis in terms of cost and operational efficiency.

Too early for glass bottles.

The thought of incorporating disposable glass bottles into the strategy raises peculiar concerns. Glass is heavier, more prone to bruising and requires additional space, suitable containers, transport and safety procedures. This means additional costs and organisational burdens, especially for the smallest commercial establishments, which frequently do not have adequate space to collect and store another fraction of packaging.

– From a commercial perspective, disposable glass is not just another fraction of packaging. We are talking about over half a million tons of extra stream per year that stores would gotta accept, store and pass on. This means additional space, infrastructure, transport, staff work and safety risks. The current strategy already requires further stabilisation, including covering the actual collection costs by trading fee. Before we start adding more responsibilities to the stores, let's first measure how it works and how much it actually costs the strategy that we already started – says Renata Juszkiewicz, president of the Polish Trade and Distribution Organization.

Shop Collection Rules

Leviathan besides points out that Before the strategy is extended to glass, the existing problems concerning the rules of collection in shops should be solved. The organisation points to differences in explanation between entrepreneurs and the authorities of the State Sanitary Inspection concerning, among others, the location of bottles, the reception conditions and the organisation of the space for their collection and storage.

– As an entrepreneur we do not see the request for changes to the bailout strategy in terms of the number of factions. We want a unchangeable and predictable regulatory environment. Before we start extending the strategy to more fractions of packaging, we should carefully measure the functioning of the current solutions, analyse their actual costs and make the essential adjustments. Legislative changes should be introduced in a comprehensive and timely manner, in conjunction with the improvement of the ROP and EU requirements. Only then will we make a strategy that is cost-effective, consumer-friendly and socially acceptable. present we are proceeding more and more critical voices about the functioning of the system, so besides rapidly expanding its scope could worsen its reception and weaken assurance in the full improvement – says Piotr Romańczuk, manager of Sustainable improvement and the Environment at the Maspex Group.

First, the ROP Act

The Confederation of Leviathan besides stresses the request to keep consistency with the improvement of extended maker work and the requirements of the EU PPWR Regulation. Making further changes without taking into account the direction of these regulations may increase legal uncertainty and hinder investment planning and the organisation of supply chains.

The right order of action is simple: first stabilise the current system, collect data on its functioning, resolve explanation problems and carry out a sound impact assessment. It is only on this basis that it is possible to decide whether to extend the strategy to further types of packaging.

– After the first year of operation, the bailout strategy requires first and foremost a reliable evaluation – not only in terms of the collection levels achieved, but besides in terms of operational and cost-effectiveness. The key function in this process lies in the Ministry of Climate and Environment, which should collect and analyse data on the actual costs and organisation of the system. Only after repairing the identified inefficiency and stabilising the strategy should its extension be considered with further packaging fractions – concludes Krzysztof Grażek, ZPPP expert Polish Brewery.

Confederate Leviathan calls for the final decision on the extension of the bail-out strategy to be postponed until it is stabilised, the adoption of the Extended maker work Act and a sound impact assessment. At the same time, the organisation calls for maintaining the collection of disposable glass packaging in the municipal selective collection system.

Confederation of Leviathan