The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) has announced a new pilot project that has been started in the Dobrich region of Bulgaria for collection of empty packaging from plant protection products.
Under the program, the industries are expected to collect about four tons of triple-rinsed empty pesticide containers from over 40 large farms.
The project is part of the next collection campaign scheduled to start in spring 2014, in which all farms in the area are expected to be qualified to join the collection scheme.
Following the campaign, the pilot project is expected to be extended to the whole country.
Bulgarian Crop Protection Association director general Nelly Yordanova said the new project is the first step in the direction of implementing a packaging management system for plant protection product packaging in Bulgaria.
"In 2013, 5 new container management pilots were conducted in Turkey, Serbia, Russia, Greece and as mentioned in Bulgaria," Yordanova added.
ECPA is planning four more pilots in Slovakia, Italy, Cyprus and Lithuania, In 2014.
ECPA Director General Jean-Charles Bocquet said, "The aim is to encourage uptake of best practices in the collection, disposal and recycling of appropriately rinsed pesticide containers as part of responsible product life-cycle management in all European countries."
