The polypropylene and polyethylene are the plastic products that are most often placed on the market, shows a study of plastic waste. In a news conference hosted by IPN, Doctor Habilitate Rodica Perciun, university lecturer of the Economic Research Institute of ASEM, said that 53% of the producers cannot reduce the quantity of plastic packing and do not have possibilities of replacing this with other packaging. 47% of the respondents said that they can reduce the quantity of plastic to 30%.
The questionnaires were received from six target groups of subjects: local public authorities; producers (importers) of products in plastic packing and plastic goods; entrepreneurs that provide services, primarily in the field of public food; authorized waste management entities; consumers-private individuals, and the civil community. Practically all the respondent groups consider that Moldova does not have an efficient legislation that can lead to the improvement of the waste management situation. Such an opinion is shared by 75% and more of the respondents from all the groups.
An important element in the research was the respondents’ perception of plastic waste collection. Almost all the respondents said the legislation does not motivate the LPAs in this process. Also, nearly all the respondents consider that the sanctions for the violation of waste management rules, which are stipulated in the Contravention Code, are not harsh and do not combat the illegal management of waste - 75% to 100% of the respondents in each group.
Also 75% to 100% of the respondents consider that the money paid by entities that place products in primary plastic packing on the market is not efficiently used to collect and recycle plastic packaging waste. In the target group of producers, 76% do not know all the initiatives that ban single-use plastic waste, which are considered in the EU, with 62% being ready for such legislative challenges. 86% of the service providers know the eventual amendments and 100% are ready to ban single-use plastic waste. Even if most of the business entities realize that changes are coming, they said these will inevitably lead to the rise in production costs, re-technologization of enterprises and higher prices that will be covered by end users.
Svetlana Bolocan, division head at the Ministry of Environment, said that it is important to promote a culture of responsibility so as to obtain safe circulation of plastic products and the planet can be protected from eventual pollution from plastic waste. Microplastic, which is contained in a series of products, has the biggest impact on the environment. When these products are consumed, the human body is contaminated and this leads to different diseases.
The data were gathered between December 15, 2022 and February 15, 2023.
Note: IPN News Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements of the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.
