A receipt mistake costs PLN 500. Poles throw them in the incorrect basket

dailyblitz.de 4 weeks ago

Many Poles, despite increasing environmental awareness, make an costly mistake all day, which can reduce their wallet by up to PLN 500. It's about throwing distant fiscal receipts – seemingly innocent pieces of paper that land in blue paper containers. This is simply a serious violation of segregation rules, due to the deficiency of cognition of the circumstantial construction of these printings. It turns out that the receipt is not just a part of paper, and its presence in the waste paper can undo large-scale recycling efforts.

The problem is common and affects millions of transactions all day. Although the Single Waste Segregation strategy (JSSO) has been in force in Poland since 2017, the issue of receipts remains a mystery for many. The consequences of ignorance can be twofold: financial, in the form of a mandate, and environmental, by polluting a full batch of recycled paper. knowing why a receipt is treated differently than a paper or a flyer is crucial to avoid punishment and consciously care for the environment.

Why isn't a receipt just plain paper? Key Difference

At first glance, the fiscal receipt looks like plain paper. However, its structure is much more complicated. The vast majority of receipts are printed on thermal paperwhich works on a completely different rule than conventional ink or laser printing. alternatively of applying paint, the thermal printer uses heat to induce a chemical reaction on the paper surface, resulting in a black imprint.

The key component of this chemical emulsion is bisphenol A (BPA) or its newer substitutes specified as bisphenol S (BPS). These are substances that make thermal paper unrecyclable together with regular waste paper. In the process of recovering the paper, which involves its fibrosis in water, chemicals from receipts are released and can contaminate the full batch of natural material. This is peculiarly dangerous erstwhile products that come into contact with food, specified as egg or paper packaging, are to be produced from the recovered pulp.

How to easy admit thermal paper? Just run a simple test. Drive your nails through the printed page of the receipt. If there's a dark graphite streak on it, you're dealing with thermal paper. specified waste under no circumstances can enter a blue container.

Single Waste Segregation System. Where's the receipt place?

Since 2017, the Single Waste Segregation strategy (JSSO) has been in force throughout Poland, which has standardized waste sorting rules. The strategy is based on 5 basic fractions, assigned to containers of different colors. Although the rules seem simple, problematic waste, specified as receipts, inactive raises doubts.

The correct and only place for the fiscal receipt is mixed waste container (black or grey). That's where all the junk that's not recyclable or that we can't clearly classify. Putting a receipt in a blue container is simply a mistake that contaminates a valuable part of paper.

For the record, these are the basic principles of JSSO:

Blue container: paper, cardboard, newspapers, leaflets, notebooks (no receipts, no greasy and dirty paper).
Yellow container: metals and plastics, PET bottles, cans, milk cartons and juices (multimaterial packaging).
Green container: packaging glass, i.e. bottles and jars (without porcelain, ceramics, window windows).
Brown container: bio wastes specified as vegetable and fruit residues, mowed grass, branches.
Black/grey container: mixed waste, i.e. everything that does not fit another containers, including receipts, utilized hygiene products, meat residues, ash.

A punishment of up to 500 PLN is not all. Consequences of incorrect Segregation

Throwing the receipt in the blue basket is not only an ecological error, but besides a violation of the law. In accordance with the applicable rules, financial penalties are in danger of not complying with the work to separate waste. If the waste collection company finds that there is garbage in a paper container that should not be there, it can study it to the municipal office.

In specified a situation, the municipality has the right to impose a punishment on the property owner. In the case of single-family homes, this may be a mandate of up to PLN 500. For multi-family buildings, the consequences can affect all residents. The property manager can be charged a higher, “penal” rate for the collection of waste, which will translate into higher waste bills for each tenant. Although identifying a peculiar individual who posted a receipt in the incorrect bin is difficult, the financial hazard is real.

However, financial punishment is only 1 aspect. Environmental impacts are much more serious. The contamination of the full batch of waste paper with chemicals from receipts makes it useless. alternatively of being converted into fresh paper products, it goes to a landfill where it will decompose for many years and possibly harmful bisphenol It can penetrate the dirt and groundwater.

Not just receipts. another “sleek” waste in Polish homes

Paragons are not the only waste that causes problems with segregation. There are many items in our homes that require peculiar attention to be decently disposed of. 1 of the biggest problems is Electro-smoke. According to the survey by GfK Polonia, even 1 in 5 Poles admit to throwing waste electronics into the usual basket. This is highly dangerous due to the fact that batteries and components contain dense metals and another toxic substances. For dumping electro-waste into a mixed waste container, a fine of up to up to 5000 PLN.