The European Union is providing €1.8 million to modernize the waste management system in Călărași, Ungheni, and Leova
Voluntary collection centers (VCC) will be built in Călărași and Ungheni, while the town of Leova will receive financial and technical support to develop a project for such a center. The three localities were selected following a competition conducted in December 2025, in which 12 localities from across the country participated. The costs of constructing and operating the centers are covered by the European Union through the project “Enabling an inclusive green transition in the Republic of Moldova”, implemented by UNDP Moldova. The total investment is estimated at €1.8 million.
VCCs are an essential component in the development of a modern, efficient, and responsible waste management system, contributing to environmental protection, improving quality of life and promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
“For the municipality of Ungheni, the construction of a voluntary collection center is another important step towards creating a sustainable and climate-resilient city, where environmental protection is a priority. Thanks to this project, we will continue to develop waste management, especially since we already have good experience in this field. At the same time, it is an indispensable element of the integrated waste management system in Zone 5, of which Ungheni is a part. We want, both the authorities and the entire community, to have an increasingly modern waste management system, aligned with European standards and the designation of Ungheni for the construction of a voluntary collection center only makes us happy,” says Vitalie Vrabie, mayor of Ungheni.
The initiative aims to develop and modernize the integrated municipal waste management system at the urban level, with a direct impact on the environment and the well-being of citizens. In the initial stage, the following will be collected at the VCCs: bulky waste (mattresses, furniture), end-of-life products such as electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and accumulators, glass packaging, wood, paper and cardboard waste, used textiles, used tires, plastic packaging (PET) and metal packaging (aluminum cans).
Each center will be equipped with dedicated containers for each category, ensuring organized and efficient collection. All collected waste will be taken over by authorized companies, which will subsequently ensure its recycling or recovery.
The VCCs in Ungheni and Călărași will be integrated into the regional waste management system currently being implemented in Waste Management Zone No. 5, which includes the two localities.
Construction work is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and the centers are expected to be operational in the fall of the same year.
The construction of VCCs is taking place in the context of the implementation of waste management legislation, with local public authorities responsible for creating an efficient collection system and ensuring, in stages, the necessary conditions for the separate collection, transport, recovery and final disposal of waste.
Authorities may also develop, in partnership with collective Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, complementary services for the collection of waste from products regulated by EPR, such as electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and accumulators, or packaging.
In order to establish an integrated municipal waste management system, local public authorities shall ensure the allocation of the necessary land and the development of at least one voluntary collection center (VCC) per 50,000 inhabitants, intended for the collection and treatment of specific waste streams.
