Environment Ministry says Romania exceeded PNRR target with over 5,000 recycling islands completed

21 August 2026

Romania has completed 5,091 digitized recycling islands nationwide, exceeding its target of 5,000 under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the Environment Ministry announced. The investment’s total budget is EUR 72.75 million.

The waste collection systems have been installed across 36 counties, with Bacău, Bihor, Arad, Cluj, and Constanța among those hosting the largest numbers.

“The commissioning of these thousands of islands contributes to modernizing Romania’s waste management infrastructure,” interim environment minister Diana Buzoianu said. “Through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, we managed to exceed the target of 5,000 islands and help Romanians make the transition to a circular economy more easily.”

The systems allow waste to be separated into five categories: paper and cardboard, plastic and metal, glass, biodegradable waste, and residual waste.

“Beyond projects and financing, the circular economy is built through cooperation between authorities, the private sector, and citizens,” minister Buzoianu also said. “These islands will contribute to a cleaner environment in the communities where they operate.”

Three types of collection systems were financed through the program: enclosed above-ground islands, above-ground islands with individual containers, and underground islands with individual containers. According to the ministry, the underground systems are intended in part for urban and tourist areas where available space is limited.

The investment also includes the development of a software platform for operating the recycling islands and managing the data they generate. It further covers measures to promote the “pay-as-you-throw” principle.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Ministerul Mediului - România)