Romania is launching, for the first time in Central and Eastern Europe, a pilot project dedicated to collecting carton beverage packaging through special reverse vending machines. The initiative, announced by Profit.ro, is being implemented in Bucharest and Brașov and marks an important step in expanding the recycling infrastructure for materials that, until now, were not monitored or collected separately.

A unique pilot project in the region

The program is carried out by Tetra Pak in partnership with Mega Image, Maspex, Tomra, and Brai Cata, bringing together for the first time all key players in the recycling chain: producers, retailers, authorities, and consumers.

RVM collection machines have been installed in select Mega Image stores in Bucharest and Brașov, where residents can return carton beverage packaging—such as milk, juice, and other similar products. For each item returned, consumers receive a voucher worth 0.5 lei, which can be used for purchases within the Mega Image network.

This project is the first in the region that allows carton beverage packaging to be collected directly via RVMs, a system already used for PET, glass, and aluminum.

Why this project matters: the complete lack of official data

Currently, carton beverage packaging is not included in any dedicated collection systems in Central and Eastern Europe. Romania does not yet have an official dataset regarding the quantities placed on the market or the real recycling rates.

The pilot project aims to fill this major information gap. Its initial goal is to collect one million packages during the eight-month operational period, after which the data will be analyzed to determine whether the network will be maintained or expanded.

A favorable moment: record results for the Deposit-Return System

The launch of the project comes during a period of remarkable performance for the Deposit-Return System (SGR), administered by RetuRO. In September 2025, for the second consecutive month, the return rate for PET, aluminum, and glass surpassed 90%.

In September alone, more than 507 million packages were collected, representing 94% of all containers placed on the market. In the first nine months of the year, Romanians returned:

• over 4 billion packages,
• more than 290,000 tons of PET, aluminum, and glass sent to recyclers.

With an average collection rate of 82%, the SGR directly supports Romania’s transition toward a circular economy and shows that consumers have embraced the system rapidly.

How RetuRO works

RetuRO is a company organized under the “not for profit” model—meaning that any revenue is reinvested exclusively into expanding and improving the system. Its shareholders are:

• The Brewers of Romania Association for the Environment (30%)
• The Soft Drinks Producers Association for Sustainability (30%)
• The Retailers Association for the Environment (20%)
• The Romanian state, through the Ministry of Environment (20%)

By introducing carton packaging collection, Romania is testing for the first time a dedicated system for this type of waste, following the model already validated by the SGR.

Bucharest and Brașov – the first Romanian cities where carton packaging can be returned automatically

Accessibility is one of the project’s key strengths. Residents of the two cities can return carton beverage packaging in familiar locations—Mega Image supermarkets.

If the results prove positive, the initiative may become a new national standard in recycling carton beverage packaging.