Eco-education as an element of municipal waste management systems in Poland

The generation of municipal waste is inextricably linked to human functioning. In Poland since 1 July 2011, as a result of legislative changes, the approach to municipal waste has changed. Since then, municipalities have been the owners of waste and are responsible for achieving the appropriate levels of indicators imposed by European legislation. These changes necessitate the need for solutions that will teach residents of individual municipalities to segregate waste and the use of specific discipline imposed observance of the waste collection schedules. Different municipalities use different methods of educating residents to separate waste. In most cases, the greatest emphasis is placed on school age education. The knowledge passed on to children is also addressed to adults. The article presents examples of the use of eco-education used in the management of waste management systems in Poland.