Zálohový systém PET lahví a plechovek opět ve Sněmovně

In the first half of last year, we informed you, for example, HERE and HERE, about the intention to introduce a deposit system for selected single-use beverage containers, such as PET bottles and cans.

Since the proposed amendment to the Packaging Act was not approved through the regular legislative process during the last electoral term, it fell "under the table." However, at the end of 2025, the former Minister of the Environment submitted a practically identical proposal, and thus the Chamber of Deputies will again address the introduction of the deposit system.

The most significant change is the postponement of the system's effectiveness to the beginning of 2028. Since the proposed amendment is practically identical to the previous one, it has the character of a special legal regulation in relation to the European Parliament and Council Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste, known as the PPWR Regulation.

If this proposal is not approved either, the Czech Republic will still have to meet European requirements that mandate the introduction of a deposit and return system for PET bottles and cans by January 1, 2029, at the latest. These requirements include ensuring the separate collection of at least 90% of the weight of packaging placed on the market annually, along with other administrative and technical measures.

An exemption can only be obtained if a return rate of at least 80% is achieved in 2026 and this level is maintained in subsequent years. In such a case, however, it would be necessary to submit a plan to the European Commission by January 1, 2028, with specific steps and a timeline to ensure the achievement of a 90% separate collection rate from 2029 onwards.

The current sorting system in the Czech Republic is hitting its limits. In 2022, 73 to 75% of PET bottles were sorted, while only 26% of cans were collected. The introduction of a deposit system is thus practically inevitable in light of European requirements and the stagnation of separate collection.

The public consultation on the new proposal is ongoing until January 7, 2026. It can be anticipated that the comments will be similar to those in the previous period, and the discussion in the Chamber of Deputies will be accompanied by heated debate.

Given the direct applicability of the European regulation on packaging and packaging waste, it is practically certain that the Czech Republic will have to implement a deposit system in the coming years. Avoiding this obligation would only be possible if the Czech Republic met the conditions for an exemption or if there were a change to the regulation itself at the European Union level, which seems highly unlikely.

Authors:

Jan Turek

Michal Sladký