Nearly 900 new points with colored containers and more than 3.6 million liters of additional capacity for the separate collection of packaging waste will be provided in Sofia. This is one of the main changes under the new five-year contracts signed by Sofia Municipality with the three licensed organizations for the recovery of packaging waste – “Ecopack Bulgaria”, “Ecobulpack Bulgaria” and “Bulecopack”.
The contracts provide for a denser network of containers, more convenient receptacles, better service organization and increased oversight of operators.
“More than half of the waste we throw into the gray containers can be recycled. And every ton of waste in the gray bins costs Sofia residents more than 200 euros for collection, transportation and processing,” Mayor Vasil Terziev said.
More separate collection means lower costs for the city
The expansion of the separate collection system is part of Sofia Municipality’s consistent policy to reduce the amount of recyclable materials ending up in mixed household waste.
When paper, plastic, metal or glass packaging is thrown into the gray containers, the municipality pays for its collection, transportation and processing as mixed waste. At the same time, the management of packaging waste is already financed through the product fee system and producer responsibility.
“Most Sofia residents do not know that they have ALREADY paid for the management of packaging waste through the price of products. When this packaging ends up in the gray container, we pay again – through the municipality’s expenses,” Terziev said.
Under the new contracts, the capacity of the colored containers in Sofia will increase by nearly 36%. In 2025, nearly 30,000 tons of packaging waste were collected in the capital. If the system’s current efficiency is maintained, the expansion creates the potential for this amount to reach around 41,000 tons annually.
This means nearly 11,000 tons of additional waste that can be directed to recycling instead of being placed in containers for mixed household waste. Given a cost of more than 200 euros for collecting, transporting and processing one ton of mixed waste, the potentially avoided costs could exceed 2 million euros annually.
Two years of work, appeals, court disputes and difficult negotiations went into the introduction of the new requirements. Following negotiations, Sofia Municipality and the organizations reached an agreement that made it possible to sign the new contracts while preserving the higher service standards.
What is changing under the new contracts?
The new contracts provide for a significant expansion and modernization of the separate collection system in the capital.
Nearly 900 new separate collection points will make the service more accessible in the neighborhoods, while the additional container capacity will exceed 3.6 million liters.
A denser network of containers – in a large number of districts, one container for every 400 residents is planned, compared with the regulatory requirement of one for every 550 residents.
More convenient receptacles – existing containers are to be replaced with new ones with a capacity of 1,700 liters and openings more than 80% larger, making it easier to dispose of cardboard boxes and bulky packaging.
Separate schedules for commercial sites that generate large quantities of cardboard and packaging, in order to reduce the burden on neighborhood containers.
Stricter oversight of operators – real-time GPS tracking of specialized vehicles is being introduced through the Sofia Inspectorate’s system. The contracts provide for financial penalties for failure to comply with schedules, inadequate cleaning around the receptacles, and violations of the monitoring and tracking requirements.
The Sofia Inspectorate is stepping up controls on improper waste disposal
Alongside the expansion of the system, Sofia Municipality is tightening controls on the improper disposal of waste by citizens and commercial establishments.
Since the beginning of October alone, the Sofia Inspectorate has issued 35 violation reports and imposed 149 fines with penalty notices on individuals and legal entities for violations related to the disposal of recyclable waste in household waste containers, as well as for leaving bulky waste outside the scheduled times or in unauthorized locations.
The greatest number of violations were identified in the Triaditsa, Serdika, Sredets, Lyulin and Nadezhda districts.
“The uncomfortable truth is that more containers and better organization will not be enough if we continue throwing cardboard boxes into the gray bins or leaving waste indiscriminately around them. That is why we are also tightening controls on violations,” Terziev stressed.
Sofia Municipality is preparing a change to the separate collection model in Kremikovtsi and Ovcha Kupel
Alongside the signing of the new contracts, Sofia Municipality is taking steps to standardize the separate collection system in the Kremikovtsi and Ovcha Kupel districts as well, which are not included in the new agreements with the three organizations.
Deputy Mayor for Ecology Engineer Nikolay Nedelkov submitted a report to the Sofia Municipal Council proposing a change to the existing model in the two districts. The proposal calls for dropping the requirement that the activity be assigned to the municipal company “Sofekostroy” and revoking the previous decision to spend municipal funds on the purchase of containers and specialized equipment.
The aim is to create an opportunity to select an organization for the recovery of packaging waste according to Sofia Municipality’s common minimum requirements, as well as to guarantee the same service, monitoring and accountability standards being introduced in the other districts.
The proposal is to be considered by the Sofia Municipal Council. After it issues its decision, the municipality will provide additional information on the next steps in organizing separate collection in the two districts.
Sofia Municipality is also preparing changes to the organization of bulky and construction waste collection, which will provide more convenient opportunities for residents to dispose of it without polluting the streets and areas around the containers.