Clean Recycle: Major Romanian cities investing EUR 30 mln in waste collection infrastructure

The major cities in Romania are investing a total of over EUR 30 million in smart islands for separate waste collection. According to public data analyzed by Clean Recycle specialists, Brasov, Iasi, and Cluj-Napoca are among the cities with the largest investments in separate waste collection infrastructure.

Some of the investments were started in 2023, others will be implemented by 2026, and most of the funding comes from the recovery and resilience plan - PNRR.

At the top is Brasov, a major mountain city in central Romania, with a total value of around EUR 10 million. According to Clean Recycle, the City Hall started a project to purchase 275 digitized ecological islands.

The City Hall of Iasi also signed financing contracts for 327 digitalized ecological islands, of which 302 above-ground and 25 underground. The total investment amounts to around EUR 8 million.

Cluj-Napoca is also becoming greener, with 350 separate waste collection digitalized islands. The investment amounts to almost EUR 6.5 million.

Another major city in Romania focusing on developing waste collection infrastructure is Timisoara, where the City Hall has purchased 100 digitalized ecological islands with a total value of around EUR 1 million.

In Constanta, 275 new eco-islands will be placed in the city, adding to the 14 eco-islands already installed in 2023. Meanwhile, in Oradea, 275 digitalized eco-islands have been installed.

The City Hall of Galati also signed a new funding contract through PNRR to establish 61 digitized ecological islands with an investment of roughly EUR 1 million. This adds up to the 275 already funded with around EUR 4 million. In total, projects are underway for 336 modern waste collection points to cover all areas of the city, the Clean Recycle analysis noted.

Moreover, since March, Sighisoara has been implementing a pilot project of digitized eco-islands for separate waste collection, financed with non-reimbursable European funds through the PNRR with a value of approximately EUR 500,000.

Since November last year, the Ministry of Environment has carried out a national program to install over 2,000 digitized eco-islands for separate waste collection in 50 localities. These include Alba Iulia, Bacău, Suceava, Deva, and Predeal. According to the Clean Recycle analysis, the project, funded by PNRR, has a total value of over EUR 260 million.

In the first 4 months of the year, Clean Recycle managed more than 35,000 tons of packaging waste for more than 900 customers in its portfolio.

(Photo source: Facebook/Allen Coliban)