Moldovans to be able to receive money for returned packaging

Consumers who return glass, PET, or aluminum can packaging will receive the initially paid amount as a guarantee. The government adopted a regulation top this effect today.

According to the regulation, the packaging should be returned to one of the authorized collection points.

“When we pay for the purchase of a drink packaged in plastic or metal, a small guarantee for the packaging will be withheld. This guarantee will be fully recovered upon the return of the packaging,” said Minister of Environment Sergiu Lazarencu at the cabinet meeting.

The collected packaging will be sorted, recycled, and reused, thus avoiding pollution and reducing the amount of waste deposited in nature or landfills.

The deposit system for packaging will lay the foundations for a modern recycling industry in Moldova, create green jobs, attract investments and support the country's transition to a circular economy aligned with European standards.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that such projects are necessary for our villages and cities to become cleaner. He emphasized the way this collection system would be implemented.

“At the same time, it is important how we implement this collection system. Therefore, I urge you to include in this commitment an evaluation every 18 months regarding the implementation of these regulations. And in the process of regulating this project, we must take into account the mistakes we have previously made,” said Recean.

The deposit system for packaging is already successfully used in more European countries such as Germany, Lithuania, and Romania, where pollution from such waste has been reduced by 70 per cent. In Romania, the system started in 2024 with a return rate of 55 per cent, and in 2025 it increased to over 85 per cent of the total packaging placed on market.