Assessment of waste management in Poland

The article presents, which was his purpose, an analysis of waste management in Poland and the changes occurring over the years. According to Statistics Poland, 121 million tonnes of waste were generated in 2021, of which 11.3% was municipal waste. Waste volume increased to 123 million tonnes in 2023. The main sources of waste, as in previous years, were mining and extraction (61.9%), manufacturing (22.0%), and electricity, gas, steam, and hot water generation and supply (12.7%). Of the total waste generated in 2021, approximately 48% was recovered, 44% was disposed of by landfilling, and 7% by other means. In 2021, 13,674,000 tonnes of municipal waste were generated.  Effective waste management is essential for ensuring the efficient use of natural resources and sustainable economic growth. In Poland, the amount of municipal and packaging waste produced is increasing. Environmental awareness, however, promotes their rational management. Recovery and recycling are becoming increasingly popular methods of waste management, which is particularly noticeable in the case of packaging waste, amounting to 60%. Therefore, adequate waste management is the future of our planet.