In the middle of 2025, a backup system for PET bottles and cans could start operating in the Czech Republic. An amendment to the relevant law is being prepared by the Ministry of the Environment. In many countries, the system already works, and in the Czech Republic, some retail chains have started trial buybacks in several stores. However, representatives of dozens of municipalities and cities, including Olomouc, do not agree with the backup of PET bottles and cans.
Olomouc
10:13 p.m November 9, 2023
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Sorted PET bottles | Source: Shutterstock
“The current system is capable of very efficiently sorting the components of separated waste, and it seems to us like a waste of resources to introduce a parallel system,” Deputy Mayor Otakar Bačák from the Společné movement explains the reservations on behalf of the Olomouc council.
Compulsory backup of PET bottles and cans? The leaders of many cities and municipalities criticize the upcoming amendment to the law
According to him, backing up is not the same as backing up glass bottles. The returned “pets” must not be wrinkled, even if they go into the press and become the same mass as in the yellow containers. The new backup system is supposed to cost five billion and roughly one billion a year for operation.
Ministry: The new system will not disrupt the current one
The spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Environment, Lucie Ješátková, confirmed that they are negotiating with the municipalities and trying to refute some mistakes. “The Ministry of the Environment is preparing an amendment to the Packaging Act so that the new system does not disrupt the current waste sorting system and has no impact on municipal budgets. In addition, we are proposing some compensation mechanisms for municipalities that will bring them new sources of income,” says Ješátková.
The president of the Association of Local Governments, Eliška Olšáková, claims that hundreds of municipalities have already joined the declaration that rejects backup. “Today, we collect eight of the ten listed PET bottles for the market, and according to the commitments we have, we should collect nine of them. And we believe that it would be much easier to strengthen the current existing system than to introduce a completely new system,” says Olšanská.
Returnable PET bottles are already out the door. The expected amount of the advance is four crowns for one, says Minister Hladík
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The Union of Cities and Municipalities wants the ministry to draw up an impact study on people and municipalities when backing up selected bottles. The goal of collecting 9 out of 10 PET bottles and cans is realistic for local governments, according to the vice-chairman of the union, Pavel Drahovzal.
“In recent years, many cities and municipalities have very intensively implemented door-to-door systems, which means trash cans basically at every house. So now we don’t really understand why we should tell those people: It’s good that you sort in the yellow bins, but take part of what you sort now to the store,” mentions Drahovzal.
Thirteen European Union states have already implemented the backup of PET bottles and cans, and others are considering it. According to Pavel Drahovzal, the Czech Republic is one of the winners in sorting into colored containers, and the municipality has been building the system with citizens and companies for a long time.
Blanka Mazalová
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Tags: Compulsory backup PET bottles cans leaders cities municipalities criticize upcoming amendment law iRADIO
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