The Romanian Senate reinforces its commitment to the circular economy and environmental protection by installing an automatic collection system for packaging subject to the Guarantee-Return System on the institution’s premises.
The project, carried out in partnership with the ECOTECA Association, TOMRA and Restaurant Rustic, is an example of good practice regarding the collection of packaging in public institutions and the integration of this process directly at the point of generation.
The automatic collection system is located in the area of the Rustic restaurant inside the Romanian Senate and offers employees, administrative staff and visitors a fast and affordable solution for returning packaging with a guarantee.
“The circular economy must start from the state institutions themselves. The Romanian Senate sends a simple message today, that responsibility towards the environment is built through concrete gestures, and an accessible collection system encourages people to actively participate in recycling. I hope that this example will be followed by as many public institutions and companies as possible,” said Glad-Aurel Varga, president of the Environment Committee of the Romanian Senate.
“Public institutions have the responsibility to be an example in adopting practices that contribute to sustainable development. The implementation of this pilot project within the Romanian Senate is a concrete commitment to promoting the circular economy and to strengthening an institutional culture based on responsibility and sustainability”, said Diana Elena Căpriță, Director General of the General Directorate for Heritage Administration within the Romanian Senate.
The Guarantee-Return system, launched in November 2023, aims for 2026 to achieve a collection rate of 90% for plastic and metal packaging and 85% for glass packaging.
According to RetuRO data, since the beginning of the system’s operation until now, more than 771,000 tons of packaging have been returned through SGR, more than 769,000 tons have been handed over for recycling, and more than 738,000 tons have actually entered the recycling facilities.
“The expansion of the collection infrastructure is a key element in achieving the ambitious objectives of the SGR. After the projects carried out in the university environment through ECO Student, we are happy to continue this direction within the Romanian Senate. The involvement of public institutions sends a strong message about environmental responsibility and can inspire the adoption of sustainable practices on a larger scale,” said Alexandra Țuțuianu, Director of Operations, ECOTECA Association.
The automatic collection system is provided by TOMRA, the project’s technology partner, and allows the collection of all SGR packaging, simplifying the return process for users.
“Infrastructure and easy access to collection are essential elements of the success of the Guarantee-Return System. For the SGR to reach its full potential, the collection infrastructure must be easily accessible and integrated into the day-to-day work. Through this project, we contribute to streamlining collection, optimizing the flow of materials to recycling and achieving circular economy goals.”, said Dorin Mihai, General Manager, TOMRA Collection Romania.
The system installed in the premises of the Romanian Senate will allow the collection of SGR packaging directly at the place of generation, in a space accessible to employees, administrative staff and visitors.
