Clean Recycle analysis: At Easter, Romanians consume more, throw away more packaging waste increases around the holidays
- Significant increases in consumption over the Easter holidays automatically lead to increases in packaging waste: from cardboard boxes to bottles, PET and other plastic containers and products, a Clean Recycle analysis shows.
- Last year, at Easter, Romanians bought 40% more products compared to the same period of the previous year[i]. Consumption could increase this year, according to Clean Recycle, as most Romanians will have 6 days off in connection with May 1st and Easter.
- Although Romania ranks among the top countries in the European Union with the lowest amount of packaging waste generated per capita, our country ranks second last in terms of recycling and valorization. In fact, Romanians are among the top polluters of packaging waste in the EU.
Traditionally, the Easter holiday season is associated with a significant increase in household consumption, which automatically leads to increases in packaging waste: from cardboard boxes to bottles, PET or other plastic containers and products, a Clean Recycle analysis shows.
At Easter[ii], egg consumption is 50% higher than at other times of the year. Similarly, the average Romanian bought gifts and toys worth 180 lei[iii] last year. On average, Romanians bought 40% more products last Easter than at the same time the previous year.
All these increases lead to increases in the amount of waste generated, and consumption could be even higher this year, according to Clean Recycle, as most Romanians will have 6 days off in connection with Labour Day and Easter.
A Romanian produces just over 116 kilograms of packaging waste per year, but only 46.4 kilograms of this is recycled, according to the latest statistics published at European level[iv].
Increasing amounts of waste generated over the holidays put additional pressure on waste management systems and natural resources.
Although Romania is among the countries in the European Union with the lowest quantities of packaging waste generated per capita, our country ranks second last in terms of recycling and recovery.
Although in countries such as Germany and Italy the amount of waste generated per person amounts to 200 kilograms each year, more than 67% of the waste is recycled there.
„Romania is obligated to recycle 60% of the packaging put on the market, according to the environmental targets imposed by the European Union, but in reality our country manages to recycle only 39.87%. The targets will rise by a further 5% next year. The impact of any increase in packaging waste, even on holidays, could set us back. By consuming responsibly, collecting waste separately or recycling certain categories of packaging, each of us can contribute to a healthier ecosystem,” says Cosmin Monda, founder and CEO of Clean Recycle.
Consumerism also brings with it a worrying level of waste. The EU population generates 88 million tonnes of food waste every year, with a global impact of around 8% of total greenhouse gas emissions, according to a European Parliament report[v].
Clean Recycle is one of the top 5 players in the local packaging waste responsibility transfer (OIREP) market, taking on the obligation to report, collect and recover packaging and packaging waste put on the market by producers and importers. Clean Recycle manages a portfolio of more than 700 companies producing and marketing packaging waste, active all over Romania, in sectors such as FMCG and retail, agribusiness, automotive, distribution, industrial production, pharmaceuticals and others.
[ii] Union of Poultry Breeders in Romaniade
