In August, 2004, Bulgaria's Ministry of Environment & Water licensed Ecobulpack as the country's second cooperative firm to collect & recycle packaging waste. Bulgaria generates 80,000 tonnes of glass packaging waste annually, according to the ministry. Under the Bulgarian Waste Management Act, which came into force in 2004, all traders & producers of packaged goods in the local market have to recycle 20% of all packaging they sell in 2004 or pay fees to the Environment Ministry. The share of recycled packaging will be increased to 50% by 2011. "In 2004, Ecobulpack will collect, utilise & recycle over 12,500 tonnes of waste packaging," the company said in a statement. This volume is expected to reach 60,000 tonnes by 2007, when Bulgaria hopes to join the EU. Ecobulpack was set up in 2004 as a non-profit enterprise by 34 firms.
