Companies operating in Romania that did not recycle the packaging waste they placed on the market paid, in 2022, 33 million RON, the equivalent of over 6 million EUR, to the Environment Fund Administration, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics, analyzed by Clean Recycle.

However, the amount is four times lower than it was in 2012, which is proof that Romanian companies are becoming more and more responsible regarding their environmental obligations.

In the last 10 years, between 2012-2022, the amounts paid by companies for packaging waste that was not recycled or recovered, amounts to over 900 million RON, the equivalent of 181 million Euro.

“Romania has evolved in recent years at the level of packaging waste recovery, but the progress is quite slow. Now, however, we have the opportunity to accelerate this process, especially if we refer to the development of the infrastructure to help us increase the recycling rate. Only through PNRR, we have over 1 billion EUR for investments to ensure the most efficient management of packaging waste”, says Cosmin Monda, founder and CEO of Clean Recycle.

Companies generating packaging waste are obliged to report all quantities placed on the market through OIREPs (Organizations Implementing the Obligations of Extended Producer Responsibility), which take on this responsibility.

Otherwise, economic operators have to pay 2 RON for each kg of unused packaging to the Environmental Fund.

In the first nine months of 2023, Clean Recycle managed an amount of more than 67,000 tons of recyclable waste (paper/cardboard, plastic, PET, glass, steel, aluminum, wood) for the 700 companies in its portfolio.

Romania fails to reach its recycling targets, imposed at EU level, of 65 percent for packaging waste placed on the market. The latest data shows that the recycling percentage was as low as 39.87 percent in 2020. The country ranks last among the countries of the European Union regarding the storage of municipal waste in landfills, with amounts exceeding 127 million tons.

Clean Recycle is one of the top 5 players on the local market for packaging waste responsibility transfer (OIREP), taking over the obligation to report, collect and recover packaging and packaging waste placed on the market by manufacturers and importers. Clean Recycle manages a portfolio of over 700 companies that produce and market packaging waste, active throughout Romania, from FMCG and retail to agribusiness, automotive, distribution, industrial production, pharmaceuticals etc.