Bulgaria ranks first in Europe in terms of organic indicator

Bulgaria ranks first in Europe for best performance on a key environmental indicator – collection of crop protection product packaging in agriculture. In 2019, an impressive 97% of the packaging used by domestic producers in our country was collected and processed.

This is made possible thanks to the special System for Collection and Management of Crop Protection Product Packaging of the Bulgarian Crop Protection Industry Association (BCPIA). The system has achieved this success only 6 years after its introduction in Bulgaria, while the average collection rates in various European countries in 2017 ranged between 60 and 95% of the total quantity of packaging placed on the market. This is shown by data from the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA).

The results of the environmental protection system for 2019 were presented at the annual conference “For Clean Agriculture and a Safe Environment”, organized by BCPIA.  It was attended by representatives of agrochemical companies, agricultural associations, and researchers. The conference was specially honoured by members of the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA).

The annual conference on “For Clean Agriculture and a Safe Environment” was opened by Ms. Desislava Taneva, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, who stated that Bulgaria is pursuing a successful policy with regard to the recovery of packaging from plant protection products. “I am pleased with this great success and I believe that in the future we will continue to seek all opportunities that the new Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union will provide us after the conclusion of the debates. It is important for us to support such policies that promote agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly.”

Minister Taneva also presented the special award “Most Responsible Farmer for 2019”, established by BCPIA, to Georgi Hadzhiyski, owner of AGRO KP Ltd., who cultivates wheat, barley, maize, sunflower and rapeseed on 70,000 decares in the regions of Vratsa and Montana.

The System for Collection and Management of Crop Protection Product Packaging was launched in Bulgaria in 2013. In the first year after its establishment, over 5 tonnes of packaging were collected, and this year their quantity has reached about 500 tonnes. Of the 97% of collected packaging, 91% is recycled and 9% is disposed of. In just one year, more than 1,000 km of insulation pipes for optical cables, intended for optical cable routes for the telecommunications industry, are produced from the recycled plastic packaging. If laid in a straight line, they would be sufficient to connect Sofia and Vienna.

“Every year we process hundreds of tonnes of packaging. This system has a direct and long-term environmental effect on domestic agriculture and contributes to the protection of the environment, soil and air,” commented Neli Yordanova, Director General of BCPIA.