How the system works

 

 

The authorised packaging company EKO‑KOM operates a nationwide system that provides take back and recovery of packaging waste – in accordance with the Packaging Act. No. 477/2001 Coll..

The EKO‑KOM System is based on the cooperation of industrial enterprises (clients), towns and villages. The system ensures that waste from packaging used by the consumer is sorted out, transported by refuse collecting vehicles, finally sorted  and used as a secondary raw material.

 

How does it work?

Way of the packaging waste and the pattern of distribution of remuneration in the EKO‑KOM System

 

The green arrows

show the path of packaging: Your consumers will buy the product and then will throw packaging into the color container for sorting waste. Collecting companies transports sorted packaging waste to the sorting line, where the waste is further categorized according to the different types of further processing. This modified waste goes to the processors, where recycled products are produced – this way the sorted PET bottles can returnes to you as a new cycling jersey …

 

The grey arrows

In 2022, 98 % of the annual costs of authorised packaging company EKO‑KOM, a.s. were used to ensure the collective compliance. Specifically, the breakdown was as follows: more than 89 % was accounted for by the direct costs of waste activities (collection of packaging and provision of a collection network in municipalities, collection and recovery of industrial packaging, re-sorting of packaging waste, direct support for recycling of packaging waste). And given that municipalities and their inhabitants are key to the sorting of packaging waste, municipalities are responsible for the largest share. Direct payments to the participating municipalities for providing packaging waste take-back and collection networks and for delivering it through collection companies for re-sorting and treatment accounted for 65.7 % overall in 2022. The level of rewards to municipalities depends mainly on the amount of waste sorted and increases with the efficiency of the collection system.

Over 23% were incurred for the sorting of packaging waste, costs associated with the collection and use of industrial packaging waste and costs for direct support of recycling and use of packaging waste.

Last year, the cost of securing proof of all packaging and waste flows, including its controls and regular audits, was 4.7%. The costs of compulsory education, education of pupils in the field of environmental protection, informing consumers and other activities leading to the correct and efficient sorting of waste in the Czech Republic represented 3.2% of the total costs. Administration and management costs amounted to 1.5% and statutory state levies amounted to 0.9% of total costs.

Unfortunately, AOS revenues had to be almost 673 million higher in 2022 due to the creation of the prescribed reserve law. From 2021, according to the new legislation, the creation of a reserve for AOS is already mandatory. This obligation is stipulated in § 21a of Act No. 477/2001 Coll., on packaging. Fees thus had to be 18.8% higher last year precisely because of the creation of a reserve required by law. The amount of this legal reserve should correspond to at least 50% of all costs of the authorised packaging company by 2025.

If you want to find more information about system results, please click here.