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Community in Warsaw: local projects to join

Local Community initiatives in Warsaw — practical projects you can start or join this week.

In Warsaw, neighbours are already working on Community, including «Poland national Deposit Return System: launching October 2025». Start something similar this week, or join an initiative already planned.

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Community ideas in Warsaw

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Poland national Deposit Return System: launching October 2025

Five years of advocacy, one national system After five years of sustained advocacy by the Polish Zero Waste Association, Poland's national Deposit Return System (DRS) is launching on 1 October 2025. The system will apply to beverage containers: bottles, cans, and cartons: across all retail points. For communities and municipalities, the launch creates both infrastructure (return machines, collection logistics) and a cultural shift toward thinking of packaging as something that goes back, not into the bin. What the DRS means for residents - A deposit paid at purchase is refunded when you return the container at a registered return point - Return machines will be installed at supermarkets and retail locations across the country - Manufacturers, retailers, and the state share responsibility under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) How to engage - Polish residents: return your beverage containers from October 2025 at the nearest registered return point: your deposit is waiting - Retailers: follow the official DRS operator guidance on installing return machines in time for the October launch - Municipalities: contact Polish Zero Waste Association for support preparing residents for the DRS launch with education campaigns Why it matters Poland's DRS is proof that persistent, evidence-based advocacy works. After five years, the system is real. It sets a precedent for EPR policy in Poland and demonstrates the path to other advocates working on similar legislation in CEE countries.
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Programme nearbyCommunityWarsaw

Baltic Sea coastal waste standards: building a replication model from Ustka

Turning a Baltic port town's waste practices into a national template The Polish Zero Waste Association works with the gmina (municipality) of Ustka on the Baltic Sea coast, focusing on waste management standards suited to coastal environments: fishing debris, tourist-season surges, and marine plastic. The project aims to develop replicable standards for Baltic Sea coastal municipalities that other towns along the coast can adopt without having to start from scratch. What the project involves - Developing waste management standards specifically suited to coastal contexts - Collaboration with Ustka on ghost net management (see linked initiative below) - Knowledge sharing with the Pomeranian Region, which invited the Association to support circular economy models for residents - Documenting what works so that Darłowo, Kołobrzeg, Władysławowo, and other Baltic towns have a ready-made framework How to engage - Ustka and Baltic coast municipalities: contact Polish Zero Waste Association for the coastal waste standards framework - Coastal residents: support local waste sorting programmes, especially for marine debris: separate waste correctly and report illegal dump sites near the shore - Fishing communities: engage with the ghost net collection programme to ensure nets that are no longer in service enter the right waste stream Why it matters Coastal towns face waste spikes tourists never see on the map, fishing debris, ghost nets, and summer-season surges. Ustka's standards give every Baltic municipality a head start instead of reinventing the playbook port by port.
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Community initiatives in Warsaw

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Ustka: ghost fishing net management on the Baltic (LIFE project)

Keeping abandoned fishing nets out of the Baltic Sea In Ustka, a Baltic Sea fishing town, the Polish Zero Waste Association works on ghost net management as part of the LIFE Pom GOZilla.PL project funded by the EU LIFE programme. Abandoned and lost fishing nets continue to catch marine life long after they leave service: the programme collects, documents, and routes them into appropriate waste streams or recycling channels. Where - Ustka port and Baltic Sea coastline, Pomeranian Region, Poland (approximate pin at Ustka harbour) How to participate - Fishing boat operators at Ustka: contact the programme through Polish Zero Waste Association or the Pomeranian Region environmental office to surrender end-of-life nets to the collection system - Coastal residents and divers: report ghost net sightings to the programme: GPS coordinates help prioritise retrieval - Municipalities along the Baltic: contact Polish Zero Waste Association for the coastal waste standards framework being developed with Ustka Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - Lead: Polish Zero Waste Association + Gmina Ustka - LIFE project: Pom GOZilla.PL (LIFE Pomerania) - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th edition
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