ECO Forum: Dialogue with public authorities on the opportunities offered by PNRR

de | July. 21, 2022 | News

Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests and ECOTIC, together with People and Companies, organized on July 19, 2022 a webinar dedicated to local public administration specialists, on the topic of funding opportunities offered by the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) for the development of infrastructure through the establishment of centers with voluntary contributions.

Along with the meeting moderator, Assoc Mihai Bogdan Petrisor, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University Iasi, were special invitations - Valentin Negoiță, President of the ECOTIC Association; Tanczos Barna, Minister of the Environment, Waters and Forests; Calin Mocan, Advisor PNRR, Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests and Dragos Călugaru, General Manager ECOTIC.

The digital meeting had the role of informing local public authorities and intercommunity development associations participants about the financing that can be accessed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for the efficiency of waste management. Experts from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, together with ECOTIC representatives, described the eligibility criteria for accessing these funds, possible challenges that may be encountered in this process, provided examples of good practice and answered the participants' questions.

Valentin Negoiță, the President of the ECOTIC Association, emphasized the benefits of such funds for the creation of Voluntary Contribution Centers (CAV) and their contribution to the separate collection of waste at the level of local communities. "The financing of these collection platforms from European funds represents an extremely important opportunity at the national level for the development of the waste collection infrastructure and, implicitly, a way to accelerate the degree of waste collection at the national level.", said the President of the ECOTIC Association.

Another aspect pointed out by him is the need for all actors responsible for waste management to get involved in order to submit projects and funding requests, but also in the creation of partnerships between public and private institutions that ensure the flow of waste collection and recycling after the implementation of the projects.

Tanczos Barna, Minister of Environment, Water and Forests explained that the vision that was the basis of the investment proposals for the establishment of Centers with Voluntary Contribution was "the need to have a national logistics network to create for citizens an alternative to dumping waste in the river". From his point of view, the state must invest and help local and central authorities so that citizens benefit from dedicated centers for separate collection.

"The creation of these centers with voluntary contribution is a total novelty; bulky waste must reach an organized circuit, in a circuit where it will be recovered. Depending on the market reaction, it will be determined whether other centers will be created or whether this system financed from the PNRR can be completed.", he added.

Calin Mocan, PNRR Advisor within the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests clarified from the beginning what these Voluntary Contribution Centers (CAV) represent, but also who are their beneficiaries: "Voluntary Collection Centers are those places or platforms where citizens of an administrative-territorial unit can bring free of charge all types of waste that are not picked up in front of the house or from the area of ​​residence by sanitation operators: construction and demolition waste, bulky waste, used tires or hazardous waste. "

The PNRR advisor emphasized that "Romania has committed to implement a number of 565 collection centers through voluntary contribution, built and operational, nationally. They can be implemented by any UAT or associations of UATs or by ADIs, the condition being that the community they serve is up to 50.000 inhabitants."

Dragos Călugaru, ECOTIC General Manager, presented Iasi Municipal Collection Center as good practice in waste management. This separate collection center, financed by the fund "Innovation Norway", was put into use in 2016. CMCI Iași covers o area of ​​3000 square meters, the investment amounting to 280.000 euros.

"The project started with an awareness campaign in Iași with the aim of popularizing the existence of the Center. The number of people coming to the collection center increased from year to year. Also, the collected waste has increased from year to year, being selectively collected: WEEE, wood, textiles, packaging and construction and demolition waste." emphasized the ECOTIC General Manager.

The guidelines under public debate are available on the website of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests at pnrr.mmap.ro/ghiduri_deseuri.

EcoForum is a communication and information program developed by ECOTIC and Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests within the specialized portal Administratie.ro.

ECOTIC is the first organization of producers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in Romania, founded in 2006 with the aim of bringing more efficiency and homogeneity in fulfilling their environmental responsibilities.

Administratie.ro is a community developed by People and Companies.