88% of businesses believe that green policies and their commitment to the environment create a positive image

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry conducted a survey among its members on their engagement and attitude towards the environment and effective waste recycling.

The survey shows that household waste is a major part of the waste generated by businesses – reported by 71% of companies. More than 51% of the survey respondents report that they also generate industrial waste and 13% - construction waste.

According to results, only 16% of respondents recycle waste and return it into production. 56% of business representatives have noted that they collect waste separately and submit them for recycling, and 10% have not yet taken steps to recycle waste.

More than 88% of respondents believe that recycling of waste and commitment to the environment create a positive image for the company.

When asked whether they have encountered obstacles in integrating green policies and re-using resources, 33% say they had no difficulty. About 46% of respondents point out the lack of funding and clarity about the necessary investments. The remaining 21% have noted that they have not yet implemented green policies.

As a negative side, companies point out that there is no incentive to introduce a circular economy and that more investment is needed. Only 25% of the businesses see a risk of job cuts due to the cyclical economy.

BCCI believes that the implementation of the circular economy in Bulgaria will lead to the use of new technologies, business models and financial mechanisms in order to develop a sustainable and profitable business. Therefore, part of the Chamber's efforts are related to the implementation of the MOVECO project which aims to encourage SMEs to introduce circular economy.