Romania Might Have Automatic Collectors For Plastic Bottles By End ’09 – Environ Min

Nemirschi said in a news conference on the European Conference for the implementation and enforcement of the environment legislation that the introduction of the guarantee for PET return to stores is harder to accomplish, and a much simpler solution would be to have automatic machines instead.

Their placement would be easier than introducing the guarantee, as this would involve only private companies, Nemirschi added.

"(…) From talks I've had in the past two-three weeks with technicians, we might have these collectors by the end of this year," he said.

He said the introduction of the guarantee for returning plastic bottles might have a negative impact on the country's economy, that is why it must be really reconsidered.

"The guarantee must be seriously reflected upon, from what I've read about the experience of the European Union, as there are large producers of such packages that can raise real problems, financially speaking, but we can find balance, it's been done elsewhere too," Nemirschi said.

Earlier Sunday, Nemirschi said a refund for returning plastic containers might be introduced by the end of the year, which will be applied in large stores for starters.

Nemirschi said he's thinking of introducing a tax on PET in the form of a refund for recycling such bottles.

He said Romania encounters problems in the field of waste management, that is why people "can be motivated by rewards" to recycle plastic bottles.

The minister said the refund system can be applied by the end of the year in large stores, which have storage capacity.

"We want to rid the country of plastic bottles, but complicated economic mechanisms intervene. We can't oblige all boutiques or street shops, which don't have room for storage. (…) We can't say what the exact value of the refund will be," Nemirschi said.

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