Bucharest, Mai 28, 2025

Starting January 1, 2025, in Romania, separate collection has come into effect for textile waste as well. Beyond being a legal obligation that generates new operational costs for collection, it also represents business opportunities—if we collect with the aim of reusing and recycling textiles.

At the conference “Circularity of Textile Materials – A Secure, Zero-Waste Future,” during the second panel titled “Textile Waste Collection – Implementation and Challenges,” Mr. Radu Merica, CEO of RER Ecologic Group, also took part.

Beyond diverting textiles from final disposal, separate collection could, over time, support a circular sector within the industry. However, this requires the development and support of the second-hand sector, as well as a clear definition of the waste status for textiles

“In recent years, we’ve faced several changes. It all began with simple garbage collection and landfilling. Then came separate waste collection, sorting for recycling, and treatment before disposal in environmentally compliant landfills. Now we’re discussing the separate collection of the textile waste fraction. Over time, we have continuously adapted to improve logistics and to find suitable transportation means, so that these items are collected cleanly and in a separate stream from other categories.
Currently, the collection method varies depending on the regulations set by the contracting authorities: dedicated containers placed in public areas, next to collection islands for other types of municipal waste, as well as seasonal collection campaigns from door drop or temporarily arranged fixed points.
Separate collection is only the first step, but these textiles need to reach dedicated sorting facilities to determine what can or cannot be reused, to be separated by material categories for recycling, and so on.
We are in the midst of a process of education and learning, to which we must all contribute—from consumers and authorities to sanitation operators and processors who will reintroduce the textiles or recycled fibres back into the economy.”
— Radu Merica, CEO of RER Group

For more details, you can access the press brief here!

The video conference can be watched by accessing the links below:
Part 1: Click here for the video!
Part 2: Click here for the video!