New types of packaging could enter SGR from January 1, 2028

A recently approved bill by the Senate provides for the extension of the Deposit-Return System to include bottles intended for beverages, jars, and distilled water, starting from January 1, 2028. This initiative aims to increase the recycling of packaging, which is currently limited to that for beverages. Producers and retailers will have time to comply with the new regulations.

The initiator of the project, Bogdan Ionel-Ovidiu, emphasized that many of these packages end up in landfills or in the environment, and the system will use the same existing collection devices, facilitating the process for consumers.

Although the initial version of the project included jars, this was not accepted due to contamination risks. Representatives of RetuRO argue that the extension of the system would be beneficial, but it needs to be carefully analyzed.

Since the launch of the system, Romanians have returned over 8.9 billion packages, with 356 million recycled just in January 2023.