From January 1, 2023, new rules came into force in Moldova for companies whose activities generate packaging waste.
The Ministry of the Environment reminded that from this year, only companies registered in the Waste Management Information System (SIA-MD) can place goods in packaging on the market. Producers have been able to register in this system since 2020. Currently, a mechanism is being developed for mutual exchange of data on the status of the importer of packaged products, so unregistered producers will not be able to place their goods in Moldova. At the same time, companies that refuse to register with SIA-MD, but continue to produce packaged products, will be fined. It is worth noting that for more than 10 years Moldova has been developing the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR), which means that producers are responsible for goods placed on the market, even after they are sold. The extended producer responsibility principle implies additional costs: information campaigns for the population, collection, transportation, sorting, etc. In 2020, the Regulation on packaging and packaging waste was approved. It sets out priority measures to prevent the generation of packaging waste, as well as principles for the ultimate disposal of packaging waste through its reuse, recycling and recovery. In 2022, the ministry created a working group that prepared legislative amendments related to environmental payments. The draft aims to bring clarity to the application of pollution charges and charges made under collective extended producer responsibility systems. Compensation will also be provided for the difference between payments for environmental pollution paid in 2023 in relation to the indicators achieved through collective extended producer responsibility systems, which are planned to be supported and promoted, including through the improvement of the regulatory framework in this area. // 05.01.2023 — InfoMarket.
