Romania Leads the World in Beverage Container Recycling with Innovative deposit-Return system
Bucharest, Romania – Romania has emerged as a global leader in recycling, implementing the largest deposit-return system (DRS) for beverage containers in the world, according to a recent report by The Guardian. The system, operated by RetuRO, incentivizes consumers to return used bottles and cans for a refund, dramatically increasing collection rates and setting a new standard for environmental policy.
Introduced to address widespread litter and low recycling rates, the Romanian system differs from older models used in other European countries. As Pop, a consultant for returo, explained, other nations are “stuck with outdated models” due to the disruption a switch to a new system could cause. Romania, however, built its system from the ground up, avoiding these constraints.
The success has drawn international attention, with delegations from Poland, Turkey, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Serbia visiting Romania to study its best practices as they prepare to launch similar initiatives.
The system operates through a network of both automatic return points in large retail chains and acceptance at even the smallest village shops,which face fines for non-compliance. This thorough approach is supported by a robust legal framework.
While beverage packaging currently accounts for only 5% of Romania’s total waste stream, the system is already demonstrating positive results. Environmental groups, including Ecoteca - romania’s first waste management NGO – praise the program as “the biggest environmental program” and “an example of good practice,” despite acknowledging it doesn’t solve the country’s overall waste problem. romania’s overall recycling rate was 12% in 2024, with a ancient peak of 14%, according to Eurostat.
Looking ahead, plans are underway to expand the DRS to include other types of packaging, such as vinegar bottles, jars, and milk cartons, as Alexandra Țuțuianu of Ecoteca noted: “If you can put a bottle of water, you can also put a bottle of vinegar, a jar or a carton of milk.”
For many Romanians, the true measure of success isn’t the number of bottles collected, but the visible improvement in their communities.Residents report a notable reduction in litter, with fewer bottles discarded in streams and on streets. One resident, Chitucescu, shared that her brother in Spain is “jealous” of the system, as Spain lacks a comparable initiative.
