Law No. 57/2025 on Integrated Waste Management.

This Law establishes a regulatory system for the integrated management of waste within the national territory. It aims to protect human health and the environment through the implementation of a systemic approach to waste handling. It defines the legal obligations for all physical and legal persons involved in the generation, collection, transport, recovery, and disposal of waste, prioritizing resource efficiency and the reduction of environmental impact across the entire lifecycle of materials.
The statutory design prioritizes a mandatory waste hierarchy that governs the sequence and importance of waste management activities. Under this system, waste prevention is established as the most desirable outcome, followed by preparation for reuse, recycling, and other forms of recovery, such as energy production. Final disposal in landfills is regulated as a last resort, permitted only when all other recovery options have been technically and economically exhausted. This hierarchy serves as the guiding principle for both national planning and individual operational permits.
Institutional oversight is consolidated under a specialized national authority responsible for monitoring the waste economy and maintaining a centralized digital registry. This registry tracks the movement of materials through a system of mandatory transfer documents for non-hazardous waste and specialized delivery manifests for hazardous substances. The Law mandates that waste must be collected and transported separately, specifically distinguishing between paper, metal, plastic, glass, and biowaste to prevent cross contamination and ensure the quality of raw materials returned to the production cycle.
The Law introduces rigorous controls for specific waste streams, including hazardous waste, electronic equipment, end-of-life vehicles, and packaging. It establishes the principle of "Extended Producer Responsibility," shifting the financial and physical burden of waste management to the entities that place products on the market. Furthermore, it sets strict technical standards for the transboundary movement of waste, requiring prior informed consent and financial guarantees to ensure that international shipments do not result in environmental degradation or unauthorized dumping.
Administrative and financial mechanisms are detailed to ensure the operational sustainability of the waste system. This includes the establishment of a "pay-as-you-throw" tariff structure for users and the creation of a national fund dedicated to supporting infrastructure upgrades. The Law also defines a regime of inspections and a graduated scale of administrative sanctions for non-compliance, ranging from fines for documentation errors to the revocation of operating licenses for unauthorized disposal or the mixing of hazardous waste.