Romania's deposit return system collects 2.4 billion beverage containers in H1 2026

The Deposit Return System SGR collected more than 2.4 billion beverage containers in the first half of 2026, while its collection rate rose to 82%, according to figures released by system administrator RetuRO. The rate was three percentage points higher than in the same period last year.

Between January and June, consumers returned over 2.4 billion eligible beverage containers through the system. Bucharest recorded the highest number of returns, with 331.3 million containers, followed by the counties of Ilfov (117 million), Timiș (107.2 million), Cluj (101.1 million), and Constanța (100.4 million).

RetuRO said the system's collection infrastructure now covers 92% of Romanian localities with more than 1,500 inhabitants and 74% of those with more than 200 inhabitants, expanding access to deposit return points across the country.

The company also reported progress in recycling, with all materials collected through the system sent to recycling facilities. During the first six months of the year, RetuRO delivered around 187,300 tonnes of recyclable materials to recyclers, up 6% from approximately 176,500 tonnes in the same period of 2025.

On average, about 70 truckloads of processed materials leave RetuRO's counting and sorting centers each day for recycling plants, where they are converted into secondary raw materials for reuse in manufacturing, the same source said.

RetuRO operates Romania's Deposit Return System on a not-for-profit basis. The company is owned by a consortium of industry associations representing brewers, soft drink producers, and retailers, alongside the Romanian state through the Ministry of Environment.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Ovidiu Micsik)