Romania’s Deposit Return System: A Model of Best Practices at the European Level. RetuRO, Part of the European Dialogue for a Sustainable Future
Romania is becoming a European benchmark in sustainability, thanks to the Deposit Return System implemented by RetuRO, the company managing the country’s largest circular economy project. The system’s performance in its first year of…
Romania is becoming a European benchmark in sustainability, thanks to the Deposit Return System implemented by RetuRO, the company managing the country’s largest circular economy project. The system’s performance in its first year of operation and its development objectives for this year were presented by Gemma Webb, CEO and Chair of the RetuRO Board of Directors, at the Packaging Waste & Sustainability Forum 2025, one of Europe’s most significant events dedicated to packaging sustainability.
The conference brought together industry professionals, decision-makers, and international experts to discuss key topics such as public policies, production processes, materials used, and waste management – all analysed through the lens of the circular economy.
In her speech, Gemma Webb highlighted how Romania successfully built a system from scratch and turned it into an example of efficiency and collaboration, making it a reference model in European discussions on the circular economy.
RetuRO’s participation in this year’s edition further strengthens Romania’s position on the map of Europe’s sustainable initiatives.
”For RetuRO, attending such an event is recognition of the hard work put in during our first year of operation. It confirms that Romania is on the right track in transitioning to a circular economy and that we, as member states, have much to learn from each other in our efforts to create functional and harmonised systems,” said Gemma Webb.
From Launch to Spectacular Results in Just One Year
After only one year of operation, RetuRO reports remarkable results: nearly 3.5 billion collected packaging units, 93% of collected packaging already sent for recycling, and an average collection rate exceeding 80% over the past seven months.
”The system is working very well. We became operational after just one year of preparation, starting from scratch – with no infrastructure, equipment, or initial resources – like a true start-up. It was undoubtedly a challenge. But once the system took shape and stabilised, we reached the point where we consistently collect over 80% of the packaging placed on the market across all three material categories – plastic, metal, and glass. The effects were immediate: streets, rivers, and green spaces became cleaner, which is one of the system’s greatest successes,” said Gemma Webb at the forum.
