The Budapest Times
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Palkovics hails new era in waste management

Written by BT/MTI
The transformation of Hungary's waste management system from next July, involving a private company replacing the state as the main player, will help the government develop a circular economy and recycle an increasing proportion of waste, the ministry of technology and industry said on Friday citing minister Laszlo Palkovics.

A concession tender invited by the state has been won by Hungarian oil and gas company Mol, which will carry out the public task of waste management under the supervision of the ministry of technology and industry, Palkovics said.

For the concession period of 35 years starting on July 1, 2023, Mol will be in charge of collecting and managing 5 million tonnes of waste a year throughout Hungary, the ministry said in a statement. The company will also maintain, operate and develop related facilities, it added.

The European Union expects countries to recycle 65 percent of their waste by 2035, with no more than 10 percent of waste to be deposited. In line with this, Mol’s main target will be to increase the proportion and effectiveness of waste sorting, and develop technologies that enable distracting in increased proportion of useful material from waste, the statement said.

The company will spend 185 billion forints (EUR 450m) on developments in the first ten years and pay an annual concession fee of 100 million forints to the state.

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