Glass recycling in Moldova
Glass packaging that is not reused directly – such as many beverage bottles in return systems in other countries – should always be placed in a collection container and not in the general waste. This is because, in terms of volume, recycled glass packaging is the most important resource for the manufacture of new glass products. In Moldova, glass recycling was introduced in the early 2000s following independence after initial unsuccessful Soviet attempts in the 1960s.
In recent years, the recycling process has gradually developed thanks to local initiatives, European support and the involvement of private companies. This has been supported by national regulations and public awareness campaigns. The Moldovan government is involved with legislation and strategic waste programmes, such as the National Waste Management Strategy 2023–2027, which is being implemented with the support of international funding.
With Vetropack's takeover of the glassworks in Chişinău in 2019, the country received an additional boost for the modernisation and integration of glass recycling technologies. Moldova does not yet have any documented, nationwide glass recycling rates, as the glass recycling system there is still in development and cannot be compared with the established systems in Western Europe. The establishment of a nationwide deposit system for glass, plastic, and aluminum is currently in the planning stage.
Recycling in development
In Moldova, glass recycling is primarily carried out via municipal containers located in public areas such as shopping centres or supermarkets. In addition, some shops offer return points for deposit bottles. Collection points are sometimes sorted by colour, but this is not yet widespread.
After collection, the glass is taken to recycling centres or glass producers such as Vetropack, where it is sorted by colour and cleaned. In some centres, it is dry-processed (cleaning and separating the materials using mechanical processes), while in others it is washed to remove impurities. After processing, the recycled glass is transported by truck to the production facilities, or by train for longer distances.
Glass recycling at Vetropack
The recycling glass delivered to Vetropack in Chişinău passes through automatic sorting and cleaning systems in a multi-stage process. The process involves sorting by colour, cleaning by washing and crushing the glass into finer particles for use in production. The resulting cullet separated by size and colour, can then be melted down and processed together with new raw materials to make new jars and bottles.
Vetropack is constantly working towards increasing the proportion of recycled material used in glass production. Depending on whether flint, green or brown glass is being produced, the proportion of purchased recycled material used in production in Chişinău is up to 70–80 percent. This contingent is further supplemented with Vetropack’s own glass cullet before being used to produce new glass containers. As part of its strategy 2030, Vetropack continuously strives to reduce its own ecological footprint, improve the proportion of recycled glass along the entire value chain for both single-use and reusable containers, and improve access to core resources (mainly cullet).
FAQ's
Bottles (wine and juice bottles, bottles for vinegar, oil, etc.), food jars (jars for jam, pickles, pesto, etc.), perfume bottles and deodorant rollers, medicine bottles, disposable glass spice mills and glass bottle caps belong in the glass container. Returnable bottles, however, should be taken back to the beverage retailer so they can be reused immediately.
Glass products other than packaging are best disposed of in the general waste or at a recycling centre. These include flat glass (window glass, windshields), glass tableware (drinking glasses, ovenware, vases), heat-resistant preserving jars, candle holders, light bulbs (incandescent bulbs, neon tubes), screens, mirrors, and borosilicate glass (laboratory glassware, vaccine vials). Stoneware, porcelain, and ceramics are not glass and should not be placed in the collection container.
Towns and municipalities provide central collection points for glass packaging, often in the form of containers near supermarkets, markets or residential areas. In Moldova, it is advisable to ask the local city council (Primăria), waste management department (Salubritate) or directly at waste management centres where glass containers are located nearby. In addition, some shops offer collection points for returnable bottles.
Glass packaging does not need to be rinsed out before disposal, but it must be empty. Bottle and container caps should be removed and disposed of separately. Sorting glass packaging by colour simplifies the subsequent recycling process and should be done if separate containers are available for this purpose. Glass packaging should also be placed gently in the container so that it does not shatter too much. The smaller the shards, the more difficult it is for the processing plants to remove foreign matter. And of course, the surrounding residents will thank you – glass should also preferably be disposed of during the day and on workdays and not at night.
Further information
Additional information on glass recycling in Moldova is available at