Be eco – everything you need to know about waste sorting

2026-04-22

Growing environmental awareness and new regulations mean that proper waste sorting in Poland has become a key element of caring for the environment. In recent months, the rules have changed significantly – a nationwide deposit system and mandatory textile collection have been introduced, among other things. How can you find your way through the maze of colorful bins and new regulations?

In this guide, you will find current guidelines that will help you learn how to sort waste in accordance with the law in force in 2026.

Basic rules of waste sorting – 5 fractions

The rules of waste sorting in Poland are based on the Unified Waste Sorting System (JSSO). The basis is separating materials that can be recycled from waste that must undergo disposal processes. The table below presents the current guidelines for division into five main fractions.

Bin color	Fraction name	What do we put in?	What do we not put in?
Blue	Paper	Paper and cardboard packaging, newspapers, magazines, leaflets, notebooks, books (in soft covers or after removing hard covers), office paper, paper bags, shipping cartons (without adhesive tape).	Paper towels, used tissues, greasy paper (e.g. after butter), coated paper, beverage cartons (Tetra Pak), bags from fertilizers/cement.
Yellow	Metals and plastics	Plastic bottles (without deposit), caps, packaging from household chemicals and cosmetics, yogurt cups, multi-material cartons for juice and milk (Tetra Pak), beverage and food cans, aluminum foil, bottle caps, jar lids, stretch film and plastic shopping bags.	Batteries, cans from paints and varnishes, car parts, used electronic equipment, battery-powered toys, medicine packaging, bottles with a deposit (return to the store).
Green	Glass	Glass bottles for beverages and food (non-returnable), jars, glass packaging for cosmetics (perfumes, creams), glass medicine packaging (empty).	Ceramics, porcelain, crystal, heat-resistant glass, grave candles with wax residue, mirrors, window and car glass, light bulbs, fluorescent lamps.
Brown	Bio waste	Vegetable and fruit waste, peels, cores, coffee and tea grounds (together with paper filters), eggshells, wilted flowers and potted plants, leftovers of plant-based food.	Meat, bones and animal fats, cooking oil, animal waste, soil and stones, coal ash, impregnated wood, chipboards.
Black	Mixed waste	Used hygiene products (diapers, sanitary pads, cotton swabs), paper towels and tissues, dirty/greasy paper, meat leftovers and bones, ceramics, porcelain, cigarette butts, cold ash from a fireplace/stove, store receipts (thermal paper).	Hazardous waste (batteries, medicines), e-waste, bulky waste, textiles, construction waste, tires.

Deposit system in Poland – how does packaging return work?

Since 2025, a deposit system has been operating in Poland, revolutionizing the way beverage packaging is disposed of. The main goal of this change is to increase the recovery rate of high-quality raw materials.

Deposit rules and reverse vending machines

The deposit system covers single-use plastic bottles, metal cans and reusable glass bottles of a specific capacity. When buying a drink, a deposit is charged, which can be recovered by returning the empty packaging to a special machine or collection point in a store.

Type of packaging	Capacity	Deposit amount
Plastic bottles (single-use)	up to 3 liters	50 groszy
Metal cans (aluminum and steel)	up to 1 liter	50 groszy
Glass bottles (reusable)	up to 1.5 liters	1 EUR

3 golden return rules (User guide)

Do not crush – machines (reverse vending machines) identify packaging by shape and barcode. A crushed can or bottle will be rejected.
Empty the contents – the packaging should be empty, but it does not have to be washed.
Choose a collection point – you can collect the deposit in any store with an area of over 200 m². Smaller outlets may join the system voluntarily.

How to recognize packaging with a deposit?

Not every package goes into the machine. To recover the money, the product must have special graphic marking informing about the deposit amount. There is a clear graphic sign on the label confirming that it belongs to the system.

No sign = no deposit

If there is no dedicated symbol on the bottle or can (e.g. products purchased before the full implementation of the system or outside the official distribution covered by the deposit), you will not receive a refund. Such packaging should be put into the yellow or green waste bin.

Fun fact: Some retail chains go a step further and allow the return of packaging not covered by the state system. In such cases, the return may be free of charge (as part of eco-education) or rewarded with a smaller amount, e.g. 10 groszy in the form of a voucher.

Refund path:

Insert the packaging into the machine opening.
Collect the printed receipt/voucher.
Use the voucher for shopping in that store or exchange it for cash at the checkout.

Textile recycling – what to do with worn clothes?

New regulations have imposed on municipalities the obligation of selective collection of textiles and clothing. Textile waste places a heavy burden on landfills, which is why its proper processing is a priority.

Clothes, shoes, curtains or bed linen must not be thrown into the black bin for mixed waste. Used textiles should go to specially marked containers (often run by public benefit organizations), be handed over at Municipal Selective Waste Collection Points (PSZOK), or be passed on during periodic mobile collections. Clothes in good condition are also worth reselling or donating to charity, in line with the zero waste idea.

Problematic waste – e-waste, medicines and batteries

There is a group of products which, due to their chemical composition, pose a threat to health and life if they end up in a regular bin.

E-waste: Used consumer electronics and household appliances contain heavy metals. They should be handed over to stores when purchasing a new device, to special collection points, or to red containers for small electronics.
Batteries and accumulators: They contain toxic substances. They should be thrown into dedicated bins located in supermarkets, schools and offices.
Expired medicines: They must not go into sewage systems or the bin. They should be placed in special containers available in pharmacies.

Construction and renovation waste – sorting at the source

Carrying out apartment renovation on your own involves the need to dispose of specific materials. According to current regulations, construction waste is not classified as municipal waste.

People carrying out renovation work have the obligation to sort waste into at least six groups: wood, metal, glass, plastics, gypsum and mineral waste (e.g. concrete, bricks, ceramics). The best solution is to order a specialist container or a "big-bag" sack from a certified waste collection company. Clean rubble and smaller quantities of construction materials can usually be delivered free of charge to the local PSZOK, observing the annual weight limits set by the municipality.

FAQ

1. Where can you return deposit bottles without a receipt?

Plastic bottles, cans and glass bottles covered by the deposit system can be returned in any large store (over 200 m²) equipped with a reverse vending machine or collection point. Since October 2025, in Poland there has been no obligation to have a receipt in order to receive the deposit refund in cash or as a shopping voucher.

2. Why does the machine not accept a crushed can or bottle?

Reverse vending machines identify packaging based on barcode scanning and recognition of shape and weight. A crushed can or bottle prevents correct reading of this data, which results in the packaging being rejected by the system. To recover the deposit, the packaging must be intact.

3. How can you recover the deposit if the machine in the store is broken?

In the event of a machine failure, the obligation to accept packaging and pay out the deposit rests with the store staff. You should go to the customer service point or checkout. Remember that large stores are legally obliged to participate in the system, so a machine failure does not exempt them from issuing the deposit.

4. Where should you throw away a used paper towel and tissues?

Used hygiene items such as paper towels, tissues or diapers should go into the black bin (Mixed waste). Do not throw them into the blue paper bin because they are biologically contaminated and are not suitable for recycling.

5. Do you need to wash a jam jar before throwing it into the green bin?

No, jars and glass bottles do not need to be washed. In the recycling process, glass is exposed to very high temperatures, which remove contaminants. It is only important that the packaging is empty and without lids (these go into the yellow bin).

6. Where can you legally throw away old clothes and shoes in 2026?

Since 2025, it has been prohibited to throw textiles into mixed waste. Used clothing and footwear should be handed over to special textile containers, PSZOK points, or local collections organized by municipalities. Clothes in good condition are best donated to charities.

7. Where should you take rubble and leftover tiles after a bathroom renovation?

Clean rubble, leftover ceramics and tiles can be handed over free of charge to the local Municipal Selective Waste Collection Point (PSZOK), provided that you are carrying out the renovation yourself. Each municipality specifies annual weight or volume limits for one household (usually from 500 kg to 1 ton). In the case of larger quantities, it is necessary to order a container from a certified waste collection company.

8. How do you order the collection of old furniture and mattresses from an apartment?

Bulky waste such as furniture or mattresses can be handed over in two ways:
1. Free collection from in front of the block/house: Check the bulky waste collection schedule in your municipality (usually once a month or quarter). Put the waste out at the designated time in front of the garbage shelter.
2. Transport to PSZOK: You can deliver the furniture personally during any opening hours of the point.