Approximately 81% of the packaging placed on the market in September was recovered through the Guarantee-Return System (SGR), an increase compared to the previous month, when 78% of the packaging placed on the market was recovered, the minister of the environment, waters and forests, Mircea Fechet, informed at a specialized event.

„We managed to recover 81% of the packaging put on the market in September. We managed to recover 78% of the packaging put on the market in August, and you’re probably wondering what that has to do with the business environment and with Romania’s economy,” said the minister of the environment, at the „ZF ESG 2024 Conference. What are the pillars that form the basis of sustainable investments and how do we build sustainable businesses?”

At the same time, he emphasised that, with the start of the Guarantee-Return System, many jobs were created, each centre having more than 120 newly established jobs.

According to him, the Romanian industry is currently attracting funding to increase its production capacity.

„Discussing investments in PET recycling, in Alba county, we are discussing business in glass recycling, either here, near Bucharest, where there is a large company, or in other places in Romania. Whenever I see that this recyclable material remains in the country and we no longer export it, something that happened until not long ago, I’m glad,” said Fechet.

At the same time, he mentioned that there are 5,000 – 6,000 informal collectors who, even if they do not pay social contributions, „at the end of each day, they not only make Romania cleaner, but also put bread on the table, using the Guarantee-Return System.”

„These are the things I want to discuss today, how environmental policies can be transformed into opportunities for the business environment and, in no case, into stops for the Romanian business,” the minister said.

AGERPRES