The Deposit-Return System (DRS) is the only major circular economy project and an initiative that is creating a basis and foundation for the future, having changed behaviour and the culture of circularity in Romania, RetuRo DRS Chief Executive Officer Adela Smeu told a specialist event on Wednesday.

'Romania's Deposit-Return System is an example of what can be achieved when we have a common goal. And, as we can see, we did have a common goal (...). Over the three years since the DRS began operating, we have managed to build confidence that we can implement public policies in Romania quickly and successfully, confidence that we can mobilise an entire country, gain the trust of millions of Romanians who have integrated the return of materials and packaging into their daily lives and confidence that we can be proud of a project that has become a benchmark nationally and internationally. It is, in fact, the only major circular economy project and an initiative that is laying the groundwork for the future. I believe that, beyond the figures and measurable achievements, the DRS has changed behaviour and the culture of circularity in Romania. It is an extraordinary project that we are proud of and which was not easy to implement. It was a complex undertaking. Implementing such a large-scale infrastructure nationwide is no easy task but, together with the system's partners, we have managed to overcome all these challenges over the past three years, learning every day what we can do better through transparency, communication and genuine partnership,' Smeu stressed.

According to Smeu, the system dedicated to the collection and recycling of packaging has brought together public authorities, producers, retailers and consumers.

'The DRS is a successful public-private partnership that has brought together public authorities, producers, retailers and millions of consumers. The next stage for the system is consolidation. We need to strengthen the trust we have built during this period, which means efficiency, consistent activity and increasingly effective cooperation between partners. I believe that, over these three years, we have learnt a great deal. We know how to move forward and we know that success does not always mean the absence of challenges. It means knowing how to overcome them through partnership and cooperation, as we have done so far. Sometimes it is important to stop and reflect on what we have achieved, but also to take an honest look at ourselves and see what we can do better together. This event, which brings together all the system's partners (...), gives us another opportunity to discuss how we can take the system forward,' Adela Smeu said.

On the same topic, Mihaela Frasineanu, state adviser within the Prime Minister's Chancellery, highlighted the fact that the DRS had been the most significant development in waste management in Romania over the past three years.

'The DRS is the best thing that has happened to us in waste management and the circular economy over the past three years. Unfortunately, it is practically the only achievement we can genuinely be proud of, not only within Romania but also when speaking to colleagues, partners and other countries that have implemented or will need to implement this system. On behalf of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, which I am representing here today, I would like to congratulate everyone and once again reaffirm your expectations regarding the Deposit-Return System, namely that we will all play a part in consolidating it, bringing it closer to citizens and potentially expanding it once carefully conducted studies establish that this is worthwhile and exactly what we need,' Frasineanu said.

According to the latest data published by RetuRo, more than 4.1 billion DRS-marked packages were returned in the first nine months of this year, with more than 40% of the total recorded in the third quarter alone.

In August and September 2026, collection rates stood at 93% and 97%, respectively. August was reported as the best-performing month of the year in terms of return volumes, with more than 619 million packages collected.

Overall, the collection rate for DRS packaging reached 85% between January and September this year, approximately three percentage points above the 82% recorded during the same period in 2025.

The largest numbers of packages were returned during the first nine months in Bucharest (535.6 million), followed by Ilfov County (196.2 million), Constanta County (193.1 million), Timis County (179.6 million) and Cluj County (167 million).

Senior central government officials, representatives of the European Commission, chief executives of major companies, producers, retailers, recycling operators, investors and professional organisations are attending Wednesday's anniversary event, '3 Years of the DRS - Pria Circular Future Forum.' AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Badea; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)