The European Union is investing 1.8 million euros in the waste management system in the districts of Calarasi District, Ungheni District, and Leova District in the Republic of Moldova. Authorities selected the three localities following a competition held in December 2025, in which 12 localities from across the country participated.
Calarasi and Ungheni will each receive a Voluntary Collection Center (CAV), while the town of Leova will benefit from financial and technical support to develop the project for such a center. The European Union is covering construction and operational costs through the project “Facilitating an Inclusive Green Transition in the Republic of Moldova.”
“For Ungheni municipality, building a Voluntary Collection Center represents another important step toward creating a sustainable and climate-resilient city where environmental protection stands at the forefront. Thanks to this project, we will continue to develop waste management, especially since we already have solid experience in this field. At the same time, the center is an essential component of the Integrated Waste Management System in Zone 5, which includes Ungheni. Both the authorities and the entire community want a modern waste management system aligned with European standards, and Ungheni’s selection for the construction of a Voluntary Collection Center is truly welcome,” said Vitalie Vrabie, mayor of Ungheni.
The initiative aims to develop and modernize the integrated municipal waste management system. In the first stage, the centers will collect bulky waste, discarded products, electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and accumulators, glass packaging, wood waste, paper and cardboard, used textiles, worn tires, plastic packaging (PET), and metal packaging such as aluminum cans.
Each center will include containers for separate waste collection to ensure organized and efficient sorting. Authorized companies will subsequently take over the collected waste for recycling or recovery.
The centers in Ungheni and Calarasi will integrate into the regional waste management system currently under implementation. Construction works are scheduled to begin in spring 2027, and authorities plan to make the centers operational in autumn the following year.