The ECOTECA Association announced that the ECO Student project, launched last year in partnership with ING Bank and TOMRA Collection Romania, has already expanded to six university campuses, where students have collected nearly 200,000 deposit-return beverage containers.

The National University of Music Bucharest (UNMB) is the latest academic partner to join the initiative. The university has installed a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM), allowing students to return deposit-bearing containers directly inside the university dormitory.

In addition to the new location at UNMB, the ECO Student project is also active in the Regie and Polizu campuses of the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, the West University of Timișoara, and the University of Oradea.

The program combines the installation of automated collection systems with educational activities and practical workshops, where students learn about circular economy principles and the importance of responsible resource recovery.

“In 2025, Romania demonstrated enormous potential through impressive collection rates, reporting an average collection rate of 83%, compared to 55% in 2024. In this context, we are convinced that the long-term success of the Deposit-Return System (DRS) depends directly on how accessible collection infrastructure is in everyday life. Through ECO Student, we are transforming university campuses into strategic points that not only help increase national return rates but also educate the new generation,” said Petra Șerbănescu, Project Manager at ECOTECA.

“Environmental responsibility and sustainability education should not be limited to technical or environmental universities; it is a mission that concerns us all, regardless of specialization. We are pleased to join the ECO Student project and to provide our students with the necessary infrastructure to turn care for nature into a simple, everyday action, right here on campus,” said Prof. Dr. Diana Moș, Rector of UNMB.

Dorin Mihai, General Manager of TOMRA Collection Romania, added: “TOMRA invests in building an environmentally responsible generation by facilitating young people’s access to the Deposit-Return System through educational projects and modern technological solutions. By installing automated equipment on campuses, students benefit from a simple and fast process for returning containers, directly contributing to keeping materials in the economic loop.”

For returned DRS containers, the RVM issues a voucher equivalent to the deposit value, which can be used for shopping or exchanged for cash within the Mega Image retail network, making it easier for students to recover their deposits.