Collection model:
Five-bin separate collection system in place since 2019. Door-to-door collection for single-family homes; kerbside collection for multi-family housing.
Treatment model:
Green waste treated at the municipal MPO Kraków composting plant (capacity 80,000 t/year). Food waste sent to 11 third-party treatment facilities using composting and other biological/thermal processes.
Key elements:
Municipal five-bin system; free biodegradable bags for kitchen and green waste; regular cleaning of brown bins by the municipality; dedicated source separation for institutions and Ho.Re.Ca.; non-residential fees linked to container size and collection frequency; from Sept 2025, fee for non-separated waste = 2× separated waste.
Evidence of success:
(2023–2024 data) 86,339 t municipal bio-waste collected annually, including 23,339 t kitchen waste and 63,000 t green waste. Green waste composted at the municipal plant and marketed as “Compost for Rabats”; 47,130 t processed at the plant in 2024.
Poland
Scale: Local (municipal)
Demographic type: Urban
Population: 804,237 inh.: 2,461 inh./km² (2023)
Organisation in charge: MPO Kraków, the municipal cleaning company
Source:
Municipal Waste Europe (2024). Separate Collection in Krakow, Poland.
Municipal Waste Europe (2024). Treatment process in Krakow, Poland.