Approximately 7.9 billion packaging units have been collected in the two years since the launch of the Deposit-Return System (DRS) in Romania, with over 550,000 tonnes of materials delivered to recyclers, according to data released on Wednesday by the system administrator, RetuRO.
In the first ten months of this year, around 4.5 billion DRS packaging units were returned, and RetuRO handed over more than 320,000 tonnes of PET, aluminium, and glass to recyclers, agerpres reports.
"Two years after the launch of the Deposit-Return System in Romania, approximately 7.9 billion packaging units have been collected, with over 550,000 tonnes of materials delivered to recyclers. Data from October confirm the consolidation of the collection process, where the number of packaging units collected can exceed the number of units placed on the market in a given month, as consumers return packaging from products purchased in previous months," reads the release.
Thus, over 403 million packaging units were returned, compared to roughly 388 million placed on the market, resulting in a return rate of around 104% in October.
"With a collection rate of 84% in the first ten months of this year, the Deposit-Return System continues to support Romania's transition towards a circular economy, encouraging millions of Romanians to adopt environmentally responsible behaviour," the cited source further mentions.
RetuRO Sistem Garantie Returnare SA is a not-for-profit company, meaning any profit generated from the collection of beverage packaging is reinvested solely in the development of the DRS. The company was created by a consortium of three private shareholders: the Romanian Brewers' Association for the Environment (30%), the Soft Drinks Producers' Association for Sustainability (30%), and the Retailers' Association for the Environment (20%), alongside one public shareholder, the Romanian state, represented by the central environmental authority, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests (20%).
RetuRO, the DRS administrator, operates entirely with private funding and aims to ensure transparency regarding the quantities of beverage packaging placed on the market and returned by consumers, contributing to Romania's sustainable development through responsible packaging waste management, in order to meet the recycling targets set by the European Union.
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