site.btaEnvironment Ministry Calls for Renewed Dialogue on Deposit System for Packaging

The Environment and Water Ministry said on Tuesday it wants expert dialogue on the introduction of a deposit system for packaging in Bulgaria to resume with representatives of industry, trade and the recycling sector. The position is related to the implementation of the EU Regulation on packaging and packaging waste, which sets 2029 as the deadline for Bulgaria to have a functioning deposit system. By then, the country must achieve 90% separate collection of single-use plastic bottles and metal cans.

Iva Dimitrova, deposit systems coordinator at the Za Zemyata environmental association, said there is currently no clearly defined vision for how the system will operate. She noted that between 2022 and April 2025 a joint working group at the Environment Ministry, involving stakeholders, had made significant progress towards proposing legislative changes, but its work has since stalled.

According to the non-governmental organization, international practice suggests that such systems are best managed by a non-profit legal entity with participation from producers, importers and retailers. Dimitrova said producers are responsible for post-consumption waste and have expressed readiness to cover the initial investment of over BGN 100 million, which would avoid burdening the state budget.

The Ministry said a model must be chosen that ensures efficiency, transparency and clear distribution of responsibilities, with state oversight and compliance with EU legislation. Such an approach aligns with practices in other EU Member States.

The Modern Trade Association, representing retailers, said Bulgaria is already lagging behind as preparations for the system have not yet begun. Its Executive Director Nikolay Valkanov confirmed the sector’s interest in managing the system, citing its existing infrastructure.

At least 18 months are needed from the adoption of the legal framework to the launch of the system, Dimitrova said, adding that results typically improve gradually over the first three years.

Data for 2024 show that each Bulgarian discarded 207 recyclable packages, or a total of 1.4 billion units not sent for recycling. According to Dimitrova, these have ended up in landfills, incinerators or the environment, reflecting inefficient resource management.

Currently, only 5% of Bulgaria’s economy is circular, compared to an EU average of 12%, she added. Over the past decade, Bulgaria has discarded 13 billion recyclable packages, equivalent to more than 470 million litres of burned petrol, with lost raw materials worth over EUR 136 million.

The EU Regulation on packaging and packaging waste, adopted in December 2024 and in force since February 11, 2025, will apply from August 12, 2026. It aims to reduce pollution, promote recycling and reuse, and support the transition to a circular economy and climate neutrality by 2050.