SGR in Romania – A Fight for Less Plastic in Daily Life

At the end of 2023, Romania implemented the SGR (Return Guarantee System) – a national program for the recycling and recovery of single-use packaging. Here's what consumers and retailers need to know:

Key Information for Consumers:

• Fee: Consumers pay a 0.5 RON (50 bani) fee when purchasing products in glass, plastic, or metal packaging, with a volume between 0.1 L and 3 L.
• Refund: Consumers can get their money back after returning the used packaging to designated collection points. Refunds can be received in cash, a voucher, or via bank transfer.
• No receipt required: No receipt is needed, and there’s no limit to the number of packages that can be returned.
• Collection Points: Return points are available nationwide in Romania.

Retailer Obligations:

• Retailers must register with the SGR system and sign an agreement with the system administrator.
• The packaging fee must be listed separately from the product price, both on the shelf and in the fiscal documents.
• Retailers must collect PET packaging from consumers, refund the appropriate amounts, and send the collected packaging to RetuRO (the national recycling operator).

Which Retailers Must Have Return Points?

• All operators selling products for the purposes of the SGR program, regardless of store size, must provide return points.
• Retailers with store sizes over 200 m² must have their own return points. Smaller retailers can collaborate with others to use a shared collection point.
• Exceptions: HoReCa businesses and those selling products exclusively online or via vending machines are exempt.

Packaging Acceptance Criteria:
Returned packaging will only be accepted if it meets the following conditions:

• It bears the SGR membership mark.
• It is undamaged and not deformed, ensuring the SGR membership can be verified.
• It is completely empty.
• Packaging for discontinued products can be returned up to 24 months from the date RetuRO publishes the announcement on their website about the product’s discontinuation.

Recycling Process:
Once the returned packaging is collected, it is transported to regional RetuRO centers, where it is sorted and sent for recycling.

SGR Program Goals:

• Collect 77% of PET by 2025.
• Collect 90% of PET by 2029.

The Return Guarantee Program is the largest circular economy project in Romania, aimed at making the country greener, cleaner, and more environmentally responsible.

Source and images: La Fantana Blog