Hungary to undergo complete waste management reform

László Gajdos, the minister responsible for the living environment, has called for a complete overhaul of Hungary’s waste management system and its current concession model. Speaking at an event held by the Association of Environmental Service Providers and Manufacturers at the Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Center, Gajdos stated that the country must address its environmental debt to catch up with the circular economy.

Key challenges identified include the need for more waste yards, more efficient processing, modern technologies, and simplified selective collection for households. While the deposit return system was cited as a positive example, improvements are needed for paper, textiles, plastics, and especially bio-waste.

Currently, approximately one-third of municipal waste is recycled, while 53 percent ends up in landfills. This falls short of the European Union's 2035 target, which aims for a 65 percent recycling rate and limits landfill disposal to a maximum of 10 percent. Additionally, while nearly 900 landfills have closed, hundreds more require reclamation to prevent soil and groundwater contamination.