The Environment, Waters and Forests Ministry (MMAP) opens in 2016 a line of financing worth 100 million lei dedicated to the waste management, and 30 million lei for education and awareness, in an attempt to expedite the reaching of Romania's recycling target, namely a reduction of the waste to 50 per cent by 2020, minister Cristiana Pasca Palmer announced on Monday at the Local Public Administration Forum.
According to minister Pasca Palmer, this first dedicated financing line will be used to prevent, repair, reuse and recycle, and to educate and grow awareness. "The local authorities are also eligible for such financing," she added. According to her, Romania has moved at snail's pace in recycling, in nine years and a half only managing to reach 3pct. "This year, the national plan of waste management is our priority. It is very much delayed, and yet it is very important, because it's an ex-ante condition without which the European Commission said very clearly it won't release the financing from the Environment Infrastructure Operational Programme 2016 - 2020," she added.
According to her, the central and especially the local authorities should take measures to encourage the recycling at source, to implement the collection at source scheduled on different days, based on the type of waste, and prioritize the hierarchy of the waste.