Romania's Environment Ministry approves funding for digitized ecological islands for waste collection
Earlier this week, the Romanian Ministry of Environment greenlighted 167 funding requests for projects aimed at setting up digitized ecological islands. The plan is funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
"Romania must urgently move to a new way of thinking in terms of waste management so that everyone pays for the amount of waste they produce. Underground platforms, semi-buried containers, and above-ground selective waste collection systems are the ideal solution to the problem of garbage in communities, especially in tourist areas and city centers," minister Barna Tánczos said.
The approved funding requests cover a total number of 8,395 digitized ecological islands, with a value of RON 579 million. These eco-islands work with access cards, which only allow those specifically arranged to store their waste somewhere in the vicinity of their homes. Each must serve at least 200 inhabitants or apartments.
"They also encourage separate collection by offering local operators a smart waste management system, with smart containers in which biodegradable waste, paper, plastic, glass or metal can be disposed of separately," the minister explained.
At least 450 of them will be built in Cluj, costing between EUR 10,000 to 50,000 each, as well as in Hunedoara and Constanța.
A few months back, the minister was also present in Cluj-Napoca when an exhibition presenting these digitized eco-islands took place.
(Photo source: Mmediu.ro)
