Romania is recording significant decreases in the recycling of glass and metals, and the overall recycling rate of packaging waste stands at only 38.31%, according to an expert analysis published on Wednesday, based on data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

According to Clean Recycle, by category group, the most significant decreases were seen in glass recycling (from 42.6% in 2020 to 28.03% in 2021) and metal recycling (from 51.12% to 44.24%).

On the other hand, there is modest progress in plastic and paper/cardboard recycling. Thus, the recycling rate for plastic increased from 30.05% in 2020 to 31.59% in 2021, and for paper and cardboard from 63.2% to 67.88%.

„These data are a new wake-up call for Romania. As we stress time and time again, it is clear that Romania is not making sufficient progress to meet the environmental targets set by the European Union. The problems are numerous, but it is essential to focus on solutions. It is imperative that we step up efforts to educate and raise public awareness of the importance of recycling, improve the collection infrastructure and implement effective policies to stimulate recycling at national level. Only through a coordinated approach and a strong commitment can we ensure a sustainable future for our country,” said Cosmin Monda, founder and CEO of Clean Recycle, in a press release sent to AGERPRES.

Clean Recycle is one of the top 5 players on the local market for packaging waste responsibility transfer (OIREP), taking over the obligation to report, collect and recover packaging and packaging waste put on the market by producers and importers.

In the first four months of this year, the company managed more than 37,000 tonnes of packaging waste for its 800 customers, of which 18,000 tonnes was recycled and 1,700 tonnes exploited through incineration.

AGERPRES