REPRESENTATIVES OF BIA AND BRANCH ORGANISATIONS DISCUSSED THE DEPOSIT SYSTEM AT A MEETING IN MOEW

At the invitation of the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Nikolay Sidjimov, on 19.07.2023, a working meeting was held at MOEW with experts of the BIA and the Association’s member branch organizations (Association of Soft Drink Producers in Bulgaria, Union of Brewers in Bulgaria, Bulgarian Utilization and Recycling Association, Modern Trade Association, Branch Association "Polymers") and representatives of the Waste Management and Soil Protection Directorate at the Ministry.

Participants in the meeting discussed the criteria for selecting the most effective and workable model for introducing the deposit system, taking into account the interests of all stakeholders. Attention was also drawn to the so-called "roadmap" in terms of possible timeframes needed for the introduction of the deposit system at national level. In concrete terms, opinions, data and material will be exchanged in preparation for the next meeting of the working group.

It was stressed at the meeting that it is of paramount importance for the industry that the legislative framework provides a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the system, including the operator - status, scope of activity, licensing. It is therefore essential that the obliged industry, which will finance and guarantee the operation of the system, is involved in the development of the legislative proposal at an early stage.

About the deposit system:

A deposit system is a scheme whereby when a product is purchased, the customer pays a small additional amount (deposit fee) for the packaging. This amount is refunded when the empty packaging is returned to the collection point - traditionally mostly at retailers' outlets. The scope of deposit systems includes plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans.