SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ROMANIA: CURRENT AND FUTURE ISSUES

Waste management includes all activities of collection, transport, treatment, recovery and disposal of waste, including supervising of such operations. The framework law that regulates waste management activities in Romania is Law no. 27/2007, approving Government Emergency Ordinance no. 61/2006, amending and supplementing Government Emergency Ordinance no. 78/2000 on waste regime. This legislation sets the responsibilities for waste management from generation to disposal, the priorities in waste management, the requirements concerning the development of waste management plans at the national, regional and county level and the required competence for the respective development. This paper presents current municipal waste management practices, among which one is considered completely inappropriate, causing a negative impact on the environment and facilitating the multiplication and dissemination of pathogens and their vectors. It also tries to identify positive aspects and good practices regarding waste management in Romania. Wastes, especially industrial ones, represent a risk to health and tothe environment, due to their content of toxic substances such as heavy metals (lead, cadmium), pesticides, solvents, waste oils. Due to thelack of facilities and poor exploitation, landfills are acknowledged as generating environmental impact and public health risk; the majority of deposits are irregular.