Bulgaria
Bulgaria has been making strides in improving its waste management and recycling systems in recent years. As a member of the European Union, the country is required to comply with EU directives on waste reduction, circular economy principles, and extended producer responsibility (EPR). Waste generation in Bulgaria has been steadily increasing, with municipal solid waste production reaching approximately 400 kg per capita annually. The EPR system in Bulgaria is implemented through four Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), which oversee the collection.
While progress has been made, there is still room for improvement, particularly in enhancing waste separation at the source and expanding recycling infrastructure. recycling, and recovery of packaging waste.
However, with ongoing regulatory improvements, increased investment in waste management facilities, and growing public awareness, Bulgaria is gradually working towards a more sustainable and circular economy.
Legal basis
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Bulgarian legislation on packaging waste recycling is governed by the Waste Management Act (WMA) and the Ordinance on Packaging and Packaging Waste, initially adopted between 2003 and 2004. These regulations were designed to align with EU directives, defining the responsibilities of all parties involved in the process. In July 2012, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted a new WMA, fully incorporating the provisions of Directive 2008/98/EC. A revised Ordinance also set a requirement for recovery organizations (ROs) to ensure that separate collection systems cover 6,000,000 inhabitants, proportional to their market share.
All producers and importers of packaged goods must collect, recycle, and recover their packaging waste, meeting specific targets based on the waste generated from their products. These obligations can be fulfilled in one of two ways:
- Individually, by managing their own waste recovery and recycling process.
- Collectively, through a recovery organization as part of a shared system.
The recycling and recovery targets, outlined in the Ordinance on Management of Packaging Waste, are set as percentages of total packaging waste generated. These targets originate from Directive 94/62/EC and its amendments. Bulgaria’s recovery targets started at 35% in 2006 and reached 56% by 2013, with further adjustments in line with EU regulations.
Recent legislative updates have introduced additional requirements. As of December 2022, businesses placing packaged goods on the Bulgarian market must now register in a public database managed by the Executive Environment Agency. The use of recycling pictograms, such as the “chasing arrows” symbol, has been made voluntary, although packaging material codes remain mandatory. Additionally, companies selling single-use plastic products are now responsible for implementing separate waste collection systems. These changes aim to enhance waste management, increase recycling efficiency, and encourage environmental responsibility among producers and importers.
Facts and figures
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Data 2024
| Population |
6.878 million |
| No. of local authorities |
1,200 clients |
| Packaging introduced to the market |
total 427 757 t (ECOPACK 180 742 t) |
|
Thereof household packaging |
~256 000 t or 60% of the total |
| Types of packaging | All types |
Packaging organisation/s in Bulgaria:
