The specter of collective responsibility for failing to sort waste hangs over residents

Residents of the property on Cicha Street, where improper sorting of municipal waste was found in the waste enclosure, received a clear warning:

Failure to comply with selective waste-collection requirements will result in administrative proceedings and, consequently, the imposition of an increased fee on the entire property of PLN 52 per person through the end of September. From October 1, 2024, the fee will be PLN 140 per person per month.

Residents do not want to pay dearly because of one or two people who fail to sort their waste. They believe that such collective responsibility is unfair. The editorial office is receiving an increasing number of reports concerning this solution.

The Deputy President for Technical Affairs at SM Bolesławianka responds that the information provided to residents of Cicha Street is, for now, a warning that everyone must bear in mind.

“The rules for the selective collection of municipal waste apply to all property owners and are mandatory,” explains Roman Jaworski. “Unfortunately, failure to comply with them may result in administrative proceedings to impose an increased fee on the property for improper sorting. We are all aware that enforcing the rules on sorting in housing cooperatives is difficult in practice. We will continue our educational efforts so that residents understand that the operation of a selective waste-management system in accordance with the imposed rules will depend on their conduct,” the deputy president adds.

The Act on Maintaining Cleanliness and Order in Municipalities allows an increased waste-management fee to be imposed when property owners fail to follow selective-collection rules. This fee is quite burdensome, as it may not be lower than twice—and may not exceed four times—the standard rate set by the municipality.

Examples from Bolesławiec are not the only ones showing that problems with the self-financing of the recycling system and rising recycling targets are becoming key factors forcing municipalities to increase inspections. On the one hand, inefficiency in the system means rising costs for local governments; on the other, failure to meet recycling obligations exposes municipalities to heavy fines.

It is clear that local authorities must take decisive steps to manage waste effectively. However, success is difficult to achieve where a lack of motivation among residents is one of the main obstacles.

It is also understandable that residents are defending themselves against highly unfair collective responsibility, which is inconsistent with the constitutional principle of equality before the law.