In January this year, the average daily sessions were recorded at 21,700. Credit: TOMRA Systems.

TOMRA Collection Romania has achieved a significant milestone in the country’s deposit return system (DRS) for drink container recycling, with over 500,000 consumer sessions recorded in a single day.  

During these sessions, recyclers return their containers to TOMRA reverse vending machines (RVMs). 

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The surge in recycling activity reflects the growing engagement of Romanians with the DRS, which aims to collect 65% of beverage containers such as plastic and glass this year.

This is expected to increase to 85% for glass containers and 90% for plastic and metal from 2026. 

Since the launch of Romania’s DRS on 30 November 2023, there has been a marked increase in consumer participation.  

In January this year, the average daily sessions were 21,700, which soared to 454,000 by June, according to TOMRA.

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At the beginning of July, the programme registered more than 500,000 consumer sessions to return beverage containers in a single day via TOMRA RVMs. 

TOMRA Collection Romania general manager Dorin Mihai said: “We are pleased to see more and more consumers returning beverage containers, showing that Romanians understand the benefits of collecting and recycling, significantly contributing to a cleaner environment. Each container returned in the DRS means one less container in our forests, rivers and streets.” 

The company has ensured that all RVMs installed across the country meet the specifications and standards set by the DRS administrator, RetuRO Sistem Garantie-Returnare.  

A key requirement of RetuRO is that all returned containers must be compacted or crushed at the point of return, a feature that has been mandatory in all RVMs since 31 May 2024. 

“TOMRA RVMs collect all types of containers under the specifications imposed by RetuRO. Compliance with these requirements is an important aspect for retailers, since getting the handling fee and the smooth operations related to DRS depend upon it,” Mihai added. 

TOMRA Collection Romania supports retailers of all sizes by providing RVMs to automate the return process, making it more efficient for consumers and store personnel.  

The machines are installed in various retail environments, with 80% in large retail chains and 20% in independent stores and other return points.  

The company also offers guidance and support for legal compliance and the organisation of return points. 

In March this year, TOMRA Collection launched in-store tests for its new R2 RVMs in select locations across four European countries.