Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, municipalities are legally and technically responsible for the collection and sorting of household waste. The nation’s sole authorized packaging recovery organization, EKO-KOM, collaborates with these municipalities to finance the separate collection of packaging waste from households. As of 2023, the collection network comprises over 241,000 containers designated for materials such as paper, plastic, glass, beverage cartons, and, to some extent, metal. In 2023, EKO-KOM successfully collected and forwarded approximately 1,084,556 tons of packaging waste for further utilization, achieving an 86% recovery rate.
This reflects a continued positive trend in waste management and recycling efforts within the country.
Legal basis
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Directive EC/94/62 on Packaging and Packaging Waste
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1997-2001:
- Waste Act No. 125/1997: Sections 18 and 19 introduced “semi-voluntary” take-back and recovery obligations for packaging waste.
- Ministry of Environment Regulation No. 338/1997: Established recovery rates for packaging materials.
- Government Act 1999: Provided a list of packaging subject to recovery obligations.
- Voluntary Agreement: An agreement between the Ministry of Environment and CICPEN aimed at enhancing packaging waste management.
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2002:
- Packaging Act No. 477/2001 Coll.: Enacted on January 1, 2002, this act transposed Directive 94/62/EC into Czech law, establishing comprehensive rules for packaging and packaging waste management.
- March 28, 2002: EKO-KOM received authorization as an authorized packaging company, leading to new contracts with companies and municipalities, revised fee structures, and an updated reporting system.
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2004:
- Amendment No. 94/2004 Coll.: Effective from March 3, 2004, this amendment aligned national legislation with Directive EC 2004/12 on packaging and packaging waste.
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2006:
- Amendment No. 66/2006 Coll.: Implemented on March 15, 2006, this amendment further refined the Packaging Act to enhance environmental protection measures.
Subsequent Developments:
- 2020:
- Act No. 541/2020 Coll. on Waste: Introduced comprehensive waste management regulations, emphasizing waste prevention and recycling.
- Act No. 545/2020 Coll.: Amended existing legislation to align with updated EU directives on waste management.
- Act No. 609/2020 Coll.: Further modifications to waste management laws to support sustainable practices.
These legislative measures reflect the Czech Republic’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable waste management, aligning national laws with evolving European Union directives.
Facts and figures
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Data 2024
| Population | 10.9 mil. |
| No. of local authorities |
6,258 municipalities 99% inhabitants covered by system |
| No. of companies in system | 21 301 membres |
| Packaging introduced to the market |
3 401 Kt * Including one-way packaging 1.231 kt and returnable packaging 2.170 kt Both numbers counts “only” packaging from EKO-KOM clients |
| Recovered waste |
1.085 kt = 86% |
| Types of packaging | Household and commercial |
*The Financial income of EKO-KOM comes from fillers/producers/importers who do conclude contracts with EKO-KOM. Payments to EKO-KOM are based on quarterly reported amount of packaging placed to the market in tons. Different payments are due to compliance scheme per ton of packaging depending on packaging material and packaging purpose (household and industrial packaging do differ substantially).
All EKO-KOM income is used to ensure packaging waste recovery as EKO-KOM is a non profit company. Main part of income is used to cover additional costs incurred in municipalities.
Packaging organisation/s in Czech Republic:
