Recycling fee scandal: Ecosystem on the brink of collapse due to lobbying

23.08.2026 | Statistics and regulation

The Bulgarian Recycling Association warns that the drastic reduction of product fees for electronics threatens the state with fines amounting to hundreds of millions of euros.

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Danger for the waste management system

The Bulgarian Recycling Association (BRA) has expressed strong disagreement with a draft decree of the Council of Ministers, which provides for a 4-5 fold reduction in product fees for electrical and electronic equipment. According to the association, this decision is economically unjustified and serves the interests of a group of equipment importers.

The proposed change threatens the collection of over 130,000 tons of waste annually and shifts the financial burden onto taxpayers.

The association emphasizes that according to the "polluter pays" principle, costs should remain with the importers rather than becoming a deficit for the national budget.