“I believe that it is through this type of initiatives that we will upgrade the system for separate waste collection and help change consumer attitudes, because the incentives that are provided will engage and ‘wake up’ the majority of cursomers to a more responsible attitude towards the environment. This will also put an end to pollution”. This is how the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Reneta Koleva addressed those present at the launch of the pilot project for the deposit system of Lidl and Kaufland in Bulgaria.

Deputy Minister Koleva underlined that the Ministry of Environment and Water is focusing its efforts on the introduction and integration of environmental policies in the economy. “Thus, the National Waste Management Plan and the Circular Economy Strategy and the Plan for it will be implemented, because packaging are a resource and they must be returned to the economy, recycled, and utilized,” she explained .

Reneta Koleva announced that within days the MOEW will have a selected contractor for the study of European experience in the implementation of the deposit system for packaging and the possibilities for its implementation in Bulgaria, whose results are to be presented by mid-May and become the subject of a broad public discussion with all stakeholders. “Precisely the implementation of such type of pilot projects shows the commitment by the business to environmental policies and sustainable waste management. Such initiatives will help achieve the environmental targets by 2025 of recycling at least 77% of single-use plastic bottles, which will happen with the help of the business and citizens,” she added.

The launch was attended by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany H.E. Irene Maria Plank, the CEO of Lidl Bulgaria Milena Dragiyska, and the CEO of Kaufland Bulgaria Ivan Chernev.