Raul Filip, Altex: “Local communities need to understand that they need to recycle and save the resources”

“Altex is the largest player on the electroIT market on the Romanian market. For Altex, selective collection / recycling is a priority, it has been part of our policy since the beginning of the company. In 2021 alone, Altex collected about 20,000 tons, a little over the previous year”, Raul Filip, Acquisitions Director, Altex Romania said during Circular Economy Conference organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“We provide couriers that pick-up waste from the customer, as well as transport and storage of that waste. We also ensure the bonus of the customer who offers the waste. When we collect in stores, we provide special containers for storage, and in stores where we are renting, we pay extra money for that space. The waste is then taken for recycling by the OTR of which we are part, respectively ECOTIC.

Collaborating with our partners has helped us synchronize our logistics processes, which are costly and difficult to manage.

The reality in the market shows that we do not all play by the same rules. I think the regulations and the legislation should be revised for all players who put products on the market, not just electronic products.

European statistics show that the largest producers of waste are the mining / extraction and construction industries. In Romania we have ‘mountains’ of construction waste that can be seen when you drive or travel by train. In this case, I believe that local authorities should be more involved and better manage their resources.

Local communities need to understand that there is a need for recycling and saving the resources they use. This is where the education component comes in. In Romania, recycling is a concern for a small part of society. Both the education of the population and the infrastructure necessary for selective collection are lacking.

The education system should include lessons about the importance of recycling because we are talking about our future and that of future generations.”

Full recording of the conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oonbexyNmcw&t=9905s