Only 17% of Household Waste in Bulgaria Is Recycled, Compared with an EU Average of Around 48%

Household waste in Bulgaria is recycled at a level of just under 17%, compared with an EU average of around 48%, said Environment and Water Minister Rositsa Karamfilova during the National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Authorities in Sofia.

Regarding the deposit return system for beverage packaging, the minister stated that neither a state nor a private monopoly would be allowed. “We have seen a model that was 100% state-owned, as well as one that was 100% privately owned. Neither will happen. The clash of different lobbies sometimes leads to the impossibility of implementing workable solutions. We all have a fundamental responsibility for people’s wellbeing,” Karamfilova said. “Let us take care of the grandmothers in remote villages in the Rhodope Mountains,” she urged. The minister noted that when an adequate system is not in place, a beverage that could cost one euro after a refundable deposit might instead cost €1.10 for another.

The minister also highlighted the infringement procedure related to Bulgaria’s non-compliance with the “polluter pays” principle for municipal waste charges. She said it is at a very advanced stage and that within two years Bulgaria is likely to receive a ruling against it, adding that no one will be unaffected by the outcome, as the penalties will ultimately be borne by all citizens.