Environment Ministry’s budget for 2018 covers state aid scheme for recycling industry

The Environment Ministry’s budget for 2018 comprises a state aid scheme for recycling industry in Romania, said on Thursday the Environment minister Gratiela Gavrilescu.

“Because the waste recycling percent is extremely small in Romania and because we should develop this industry, we decided to bring money to the Environment Fund for a state aid scheme, a premiere for Romania. It’s a thing that we want to expand, so that through the implementation of the National Plan of Waste Management and through the economic instruments that the Government will adopt in the following period, the selective collection to have an extremely high share, beneficial for the future generations, not only from economical point of view, but also from the population’s healthcare point of view. Also, through the money from the Environment Fun, we’ll launch the National Program of Awareness, Information and Education of Population, meaning that we’ll teach them to collect selectively. We already have a collaboration with the Education Ministry and Healthcare Ministry,” said Gavrilescu.

According to her, Romania currently has a waste recycling rate of approximately 7 percent.

“We were used not to collect selectively, as it used to be, when we were taking bottles and jars at school, in an exceptional awareness manner, natural resources protection. This is what we should still do and you’ll see the measures,” says the minister.

The Government Decision regarding the National Plan of Waste Management (PNGD) was approved on December 20, 2017, leading to the closure of a infringement, due to the decision taken by the European Commission of the European Union Court of Justice, as well as to the prevention of fine to Romania.

According to the European forum, the Romanian authorities should have revised and updated the national Plan of Waste Management and the prevention program of waste generation, at the latest in 2013.