On May 5th, an individual from Krakow, Poland, returned nearly 4,700 empty bottles and cans, setting a new benchmark within the Polish container deposit scheme.
The earnings from this massive deposit surpassed 2,300 Polish złoty, which equates to approximately $640 or 47,500 Russian rubles. The process of returning the empty containers at a collection point situated in one of Krakow’s shopping centers took the man, identified as Denis, 4.5 hours. Denis collected these items during his shifts at his workplace—a nightclub, as reported by Radio Kraków.
“In total, the man handed back 4,683 items of packaging and was compensated 2,341 złoty and 50 groszy,” according to the Polish publication The Warsaw.
Denis intends to donate all the money generated from returning the containers to charity, stating he has received enough recognition as an environmental advocate against litter.
Recycling containers is almost a national pastime in Poland. The previous national record for container returns was held by 15-year-old Viktor, as noted by the Polish broadcaster TVN 24. He had amassed 3,388 cans and bottles over an eighteen-month period, storing them in his parents’ garage. Collecting this volume took him a month and a half, yielding 1,700 złoty, or 35,000 rubles.
Currently, every metal or plastic beverage container returned in Poland is valued at 50 groszy—equivalent to $0.14 (or 10.5 rubles). This deposit is reimbursed provided the can or bottle remains undamaged and uncrushed.
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