Does the trash bins have to be so messy? Cameras can't keep track of that.

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• Old electronic and electrical equipment should not be disposed of in waste bins. They must be disposed of in designated areas.
• There are often piles of waste around containers for small electronic equipment.
• Pursuant to the Act of September 11, 2015, on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, electronic waste cannot be disposed of in regular trash. This carries a fine of up to PLN 5,000.

Poles selectively collect municipal waste into five fractions, but that's not all. Separate collection is also required for hazardous waste, bulky waste, textiles, and used electrical and electronic equipment . It's undeniable that collecting each of these fractions poses challenges, and the seemingly straightforward collection of e-waste proves particularly challenging.

Municipalities are doing everything they can to ensure that electronic waste can be disposed of without major problems.

And it must be said that municipalities are doing everything they can to ensure e-waste can be disposed of without major hassle. In the case of large items—refrigerators, televisions, washing machines—disposing of them shouldn't be a problem. Firstly, when buying a new one, we can usually return the old device to the store. Secondly, in most municipalities, such devices are collected "by phone," and if not, mobile collections take place at designated times. Despite this, old refrigerators and washing machines, abandoned under garbage shelters, remain lingering.

When it comes to small electrical appliances, the solution seemed simple: installing dedicated containers: attractive, well-marked, and convenient. However, something here has gone wrong – in many cities , e-waste containers are disappearing from the streets . The reason is the mess surrounding them. Residents are dumping televisions next to them, as well as "regular" garbage in bags.

Unfortunately, some time ago we had an agreement with an operator who placed nice containers for electronic waste in the city, but after some time we had to give it up because most of these containers were in an unimaginable mess.

- says Katarzyna Ślęzak, director of the Municipal Services Center in Częstochowa.

- There were better and worse places, but in the latter you could find everything, people no longer only brought and left large electronic equipment - like televisions - but all kinds of rubbish ended up there, including old sofas - he adds.

The case of e-waste containers confirms the unwritten rule that if someone abandons waste in a certain place, there will quickly be imitators, and the bigger the pile, the more people will abandon it.

- That's why choosing the place where these containers are placed is very important - says Adam Rogaliński, since June acting president of the District Greenery and Communal Services Company in Kielce, and for years director of the Municipal Economy Department at the Kielce City Hall.

"If we have a gazebo that's always difficult to keep tidy, putting an e-waste container there won't end well. Conversely, if the area is always clean, you can safely plan for such a container there," he argues.

In Częstochowa they are well aware of this, but this rule does not solve all problems either.

- The places for the containers are carefully selected and agreed with the authorities of the cooperative and collection operators, but some of them simply have to be abandoned because it is impossible to maintain order - says the director of the CUK.

Unfortunately, dumping is one problem, and another is the vandalism of such containers and attempts to remove waste from them.

"We've had a new contract for this type of container for some time now. They're nice and well-marked, but unfortunately, they're regularly vandalized. We suspect this is an organized operation, as the more valuable waste is removed from the containers," explains Katarzyna Ślęzak.

This immediately raises questions about surveillance and the installation of cameras. "Yes, we put them where there are cameras, but that doesn't solve the problem either, because these aren't cameras that are constantly monitored. We've had attempts to break into the container even under camera surveillance, right next to City Hall," the official replies.

Adam Rogaliński also says that video surveillance will not solve the problem:

All it takes is a hood and goggles, and we have a problem: we can't prove that the person in the recording is the same tenant. And even if we could, the costs of investigating the perpetrators of such plantings would be far greater than the potential profit from fines.

So when asked what remains, the answer is: education.

"Just constant and regular repetition, information. These containers—though nice and colorful—in my opinion, aren't always well-labeled. They need to have a large phone number where you can call to return your old TV or washing machine, and clear instructions. People need to be informed, because just because something is on the city's website isn't enough," he argues.

Rogaliński also defends residents: "This equipment next to the bins isn't always malicious. People simply don't know what will fit in such a bin. What does 'small electrical appliances' mean? These days, a 32-inch TV is very small for many people because they're planning to buy a 70-inch one, so they take it to the bin. And once they're there, they leave it, creating a mountain of waste."

Katarzyna Ślęzak, however, estimates that in the case of electrical and electronic waste, the local government is doing a lot to ensure that their collection is not a problem .

"There are many ways to drop off this equipment, including calling and requesting a home pickup for your refrigerator or washing machine. We're also doing everything we can to provide information and education so residents don't have any doubts about what to do with this type of waste. So far, as you can see, the results are mixed," says the director.

Pursuant to the Act of September 11, 2015, on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, electronic waste cannot be disposed of in regular trash. This carries a fine of up to PLN 5,000. The crossed-out WEEE bin symbol on electronic and electrical equipment also serves as a reminder and reminder to the public about the ban on disposing of electronic waste in regular trash. Municipalities and property managers also provide this information.

The problem is growing, as e-waste continues to grow. According to data from the Ministry of Climate and Environment, 433,350 tons of waste electrical and electronic equipment were prepared for reuse and recycled in 2021; in 2022, the figure was 467,000 tons, and in 2023, 499,800 tons.

Between 2021 and 2023, 1,202.66 million tons, 1,211.3 thousand tons, and 972.44 thousand tons of electrical and electronic equipment were placed on the market, respectively, for a total of 3,386.4 million tons of equipment. During this time, 1,400.15 million tons were recycled, representing over 41.3% of the amount of equipment placed on the market.

The Ministry of Climate reminded that, according to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act, this type of equipment includes screens, monitors, lamps, IT and telecommunications equipment, as well as lighting fixtures and toys. And more will be included – for some time now, disposable electronic cigarettes have been included. Not everyone knows that they cannot be disposed of in regular containers – if only because they can cause a fire. Therefore, the ministry stated that e-cigarettes should only be disposed of at waste equipment collection points.