Gemma Webb appointed as CEO and Chairman of the Board of RetuRO Sistem Garanție Returnare S.A

Gemma Webb was appointed to the role of CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of RetuRO Sistem Garanție Returnare S.A., the company that has been designated as the administrator of the deposit-return system (DRS) in Romania by Government Decision no. 1059 of 24^th of August 2022.

Gemma Webb has over 25 years of experience in both B2B and B2C across a range of industries including FMCG, chemical, plastic packaging, print, tobacco, and waste management services. She is an experienced leader with a proven track record of accelerating business growth, reforming corporate and commercial structures and successfully managing major crisis. Gemma has modernized commercial, manufacturing and supply chain operations, successfully coalescing the organizations she has led around a common vision, leading diverse and high-performing teams, motivating them to exceed their goals and earning recognition for outstanding business performance alongside them.

In her new role, Gemma Webb will coordinate the implementation and management of the deposit-return system in Romania. In the immediate period ahead, she will build the management team and finalize the necessary funding for RetuRO’s operational work, which will include the construction of several centres at regional level to count, sort and prepare returned packaging for recycling.

“It is a privilege to be part of the very first steps of an organization that will put Romania on the map of the circular economy, creating a sustainable ecosystem for society and the environment. Together with the founding members of RetuRO, the representative associations of producers and retailers, as well as the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, I am convinced that we will succeed in implementing a system that will support Romania in reaching the targets for packaging collection and recycling set at European level. The launch of this model, which supports the objectives of a circular packaging waste management system, increasing the quantity and quality of waste collected for recycling, is an important step that can turn Romania into a model of excellence.

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The challenge ahead of us is very ambitious, and it starts with registering around 4,000 drinks producers and importers and over 80,000 traders in the system. DRS will manage approximately six billion beverage containers annually and provide consumers with a simple and enjoyable experience when it comes to returning these empty beverage containers,” said Gemma Webb, CEO and Chairman of the Board of RetuRo Sistem Garanție Returnare S.A.

The Deposit-Return System (DRS) will become operational from 30^th of November 2023, and consumers will be able to return plastic, glass, or metal drinks packaging to retailers. DRS is a system where Romanians will pay a 0.50 RON guarantee when they buy a drink (water, soft drinks, beer, cider, wine, spirits) from a retailer. The scheme applies to non-refillable primary packaging with volumes between 0.1 l and 3 l inclusive. After emptying the packaging, the consumer will have to bring it to one of the return points organized by the retailers in the outlets. In exchange for the empty beverage containers, the consumer will receive back, on the spot, the amount of the guarantee originally paid, without being required to present the receipt.