Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Drop it, swap it, let it live again

News from gmina Chynów last month – the opening of a new facility in the municipal waste recycling centre – bring your stuff that you no longer need and leave it that others may benefit from it. And if you need things, just turn up and help yourself to whatever takes your fancy. 

This is the punkt ponownego użycia (reuse point, or Drop'n'Swap Centre) in Chynów's PSZOK (punkt selektywnej zbiórki odpadów komunalnych), literally 'point of selective collection of municipal waste' or municipal recycling facility. The investment, supported by a grant of 84,000 złotys (about £16,500) from the Mazowsze province, opened on 21 October.

I went to have a look, and give away a rucksackful of unwanted clothing.  All good quality, washed and ironed. It did not surprise me to see that the bulk of what has been given away was for women and children. Just turn up and help yourself to whatever takes your fancy. 


There were also books – mainly school textbooks – and other items, toys, kitchen utensils (a nice set of four beer glasses, for example), a smaller amount of furniture, gardening things. 


This really is a super idea, in a village with no charity shop, at least the quality end of the 'I need to dispose of this' can end up going to a new home. Punkt Ponownego Użycia is at the  PSZOK in Chynów on ul. Główna 92. It is open three days a week: Tuesdays from 08:00 to 15:00, Thursday from 10:00 to 17:00 and Saturdays from 09:00 to 15:00.

Remember the Buyerarchy of Needs: buy new only if you can't mend it, borrow it, or get it second-hand.


Getting to the PSZOK on foot means walking the 550m from the Dino supermarket along the road without pavement. Earlier this year, the supermarket was connected to Chynów's pavement network with a 150m stretch to ulica Leśna, a popular and much-needed investment. Although through traffic now takes the new DK50 Drwalew-Chynów bypass, this road still feels uncomfortable for pedestrians. I hope to see the pavement/cycle path extended out all the way to Drwalew. 


With each month, I can see successive improvements in the quality of life here in Chynów.

This time two years ago
First frost, 2024
[Still not had one this autumn]

This time four years ago:
Jeziorki Park + Ride finally opens

This time five years ago:
Are you serious about going green?

This time six years ago:
Nail-biting walk
[Six years on, Trump's party gets battered]

This time eight years ago:
Insights in the search for consciousness



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