CrossMark, Correction, and Retraction Policy

Policy Overview
As a member of the scholarly community, the Polish Journal of Environmental Studies (PJOES) is committed to protecting the integrity and completeness of the scholarly record. Articles published by PJOES cannot be simply amended or removed. In alignment with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, PJOES maintains a rigorous process for issuing corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions.

CrossMark Statement
PJOES participates in the CrossMark scheme. By applying the CrossMark logo to our content, we commit to maintaining the published version and alerting readers to any changes. Clicking the CrossMark logo will provide the current status of a document and additional metadata (funding, licensing, and publication history).

Correction and Retraction Criteria

1. Retractions
   The Editor-in-Chief will consider retracting a publication if:
   • There is clear evidence that findings are unreliable due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication) or honest error (e.g., miscalculation).
   • The findings were previously published elsewhere without justification or permission (redundant publication).
   • The work constitutes plagiarism or reports unethical research.
2. Expressions of Concern
   An expression of concern may be issued if:
   • Inconclusive evidence of misconduct is received.
   • Findings are suspect, but the authors' institution refuses to investigate.
   • An investigation is underway but will not reach a conclusion for a significant amount of time.
3. Corrections (Corrigenda and Errata)
   • Corrigendum: Issued if a small portion of a reliable publication is misleading due to honest error or if the author list is incorrect.
   • Erratum: Issued if the publisher introduced errors during the production process.
   • Minor Changes: Inconsequential errors (e.g., minor typos) may be corrected without a formal notice.

Online Status and Removal
The original manuscript will remain available online with a clear notification of its corrected or retracted status. In exceptionally rare legal circumstances, an article may be removed from the record, though its metadata will remain visible.