1. Who We Are — PET STAR SA and the Circular Economy

PET STAR SA is a Romanian company operating two integrated plants in Ialomita County, which together deliver a complete circular economy cycle: from the acquisition of PET bales and the recycling of post-consumer PET packaging waste to the production of PET preforms from both recycled and virgin material.

This unique integration makes us a key player in Romania’s circular economy. Post-consumer PET collected from households does not end up in landfill — it re-enters the production chain as a raw material for new packaging. Every recycled PET bottle becomes a new preform, which in turn becomes a new bottle.

The Complete Loop — From Waste to New Product

The PET Recycling Plant in Slobozia acquires bales of post-consumer PET bottles, sorts, washes, shreds and converts them into recycled PET granules (rPET). These granules are sent to the PET Preform Plant, where they are melted and injection-molded into precisely shaped preforms, which are subsequently blow-molded into finished bottles.

The loop is thus complete: PET waste generated by consumers returns to the market as a new product, reducing the demand for virgin plastic, the consumption of natural resources, and the volume of waste sent to landfill.

PET STAR SA holds SR EN ISO 14001:2015 certification for both plants, reflecting its commitment to a high-performing and continuously improving environmental management system.

2. Legal Basis of This Program

This Waste Prevention and Reduction Program has been prepared pursuant to Art. 44 of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 92/2021 on the waste regime, approved by Law no. 17/2023. This regulation requires companies carrying out industrial or commercial activities and holding an environmental permit to prepare such a program on the basis of a waste audit and to publish it annually on their website.

The Program simultaneously addresses the requirements of SR EN ISO 14001:2015 regarding environmental management objectives and programs, documenting the company’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact at both sites.

The company also complies with a broad framework of national and European legislation, covering waste management, water protection, air emissions, packaging and the circular economy — including the new European Regulation (EU) no. 40/2025 on packaging and packaging waste. This Regulation introduces mandatory minimum recycled content requirements for plastic packaging, a field in which PET STAR SA is already actively involved through its recycling operations.

3. Our Operations and Environmental Responsibility

All industrial activity generates waste. At PET STAR SA, we are fully aware of this and take responsibility for managing all waste streams arising from our processes with care — seeking to prevent their generation wherever possible, to recover them to the greatest extent, and to dispose of as little as possible.

PET Recycling Plant — Process and Environmental Responsibility

At the PET Recycling Plant, the raw material is waste itself — bales of collected PET bottles. These bales are sorted, and the PET bottles are washed, shredded and converted into clean recycled PET granules.

Even within this recycling operation, waste is generated: non-conforming polymer fractions, sludge from intensive washing, metals and other materials found in the collected bales. All of this waste is carefully managed under contracts with licensed operators and recovered at a rate of approximately 99%. Virtually nothing is sent to landfill — the only exceptions are household-type waste and sewage sludge, which represent a minor fraction of the total.

Water and energy consumption in the washing and processing of PET represent a significant aspect of the recycling process. The company closely monitors these indicators and works to reduce them year on year: in 2025 compared to 2024, process water consumption decreased by approximately 9%, electricity consumption by approximately 16%, and gas consumption by approximately 16% — tangible results of the efficiency measures implemented.

In 2025, the PET Recycling Plant reduced total waste generated by more than 12% compared to 2024, confirming that the process is becoming increasingly efficient and clean.

The most significant achievement at the Recycling Plant in 2025 was a reduction of over half in the volume of sludge generated by the industrial wastewater treatment station — a decrease of almost 52% compared to the previous year.

PET Preform Plant — Process and Environmental Responsibility

At the PET Preform Plant, plastic granules — whether virgin or recycled (rPET) — are transformed through high-temperature injection molding into preforms, which are then supplied to customers in the beverage industry and other sectors packaging products in PET bottles.

Waste generated at this plant is primarily plastic in nature: non-conforming preform rejects and plastic fragments produced at each injection cycle. The company recovers almost all of this plastic waste, either reintroducing it into the production cycle or transferring it to licensed recycling operators.

A key objective for 2026 is to reduce the volume of plastic rejects generated, through better adjustment of production parameters and a systematic injection mold maintenance program.

In 2025, the Preform Plant reduced municipal waste generation by almost 60% — demonstrating that a shift in mindset and selective collection genuinely work.

Packaging waste generated during the preform dispatch process — cardboard, plastic and wood — is fully recovered through licensed operators, with no quantities sent to disposal.

4. What We Achieved in 2025 — Concrete Results

2025 delivered significant positive results for PET STAR SA as a group. Total waste generated by both plants combined decreased by almost 12% compared to 2024 — an absolute reduction of over 600 tonnes. This is the direct result of process efficiency improvements and an enhanced waste management system.

Key Reductions Achieved

At the PET Recycling Plant:

• Industrial sludge from the wastewater treatment station decreased by over 52% — the most significant quantitative achievement of the year.
• Metal waste decreased by over 54%, confirming that the preventive maintenance program reduces material losses from equipment.
• Municipal waste decreased by 17%, showing that staff have adopted more responsible selective collection habits.

At the PET Preform Plant:

• Mixed municipal waste decreased by almost 60% — the strongest indicator of the shift in organizational culture around waste management.
• Wood waste (pallets) decreased by almost 50%, reflecting the introduction of a pallet return and reuse system.

Recovery Rate — Almost 100%

A result we are particularly proud of: at both plants, almost 100% of recoverable waste is transferred to licensed recycling or recovery operators. The only waste sent to disposal is residual household waste and sewage sludge, which by their nature cannot be recycled in the available facilities.

In practice, not a single kilogram of plastic, metal, paper, cardboard, wood or used oil goes to landfill — everything is recovered.

PET STAR SA works with licensed waste recovery and disposal operators, ensuring full traceability of every waste stream generated at both plants.

Environmental Management in Emergency Situations and Abnormal Conditions

The company has rigorously identified and assessed all environmental aspects that may arise in emergency situations — in particular the risk of fire at both plants, which process and store significant quantities of plastic material, and the risk of accidental spills of chemicals or oils from machinery.

Clear response plans are in place for each such scenario, emergency teams are trained regularly, and equipment is inspected on a routine basis. The objective is to prevent any negative impact on soil, water or air in the event of an incident.

5. Our Plans for 2026 — Objectives and Commitments

Building on the results achieved in 2025 and the trends identified, PET STAR SA has set a series of concrete objectives for 2026, aimed at continuing to reduce environmental impact at both plants.

PET Recycling Plant

The primary objective for 2026 regarding waste from mechanical treatment is to maintain the specific waste generation rate at or below 2025 levels, even as processing volumes are expected to increase. These wastes — residual fractions such as labels, caps and PP/PE rings separated from PET during sorting, washing and flotation — are generated internally from the input stream, and their absolute increase in 2025 is linked to higher volumes of raw material processed. The raw material sourced predominantly from the Deposit Return System is well sorted.

We also aim to keep energy and water consumption below 2025 levels, through continued monthly monitoring and the identification of new efficiency opportunities.

PET Preform Plant

The increase in plastic rejects in 2025 is correlated with higher production volumes — more preforms produced means, proportionally, more surplus material at each injection cycle. The objective for 2026 is not necessarily to reduce the absolute quantity, but to maintain the specific reject rate at or below the level per tonne of preforms produced. A systematic preventive maintenance program for injection molds will complement these measures.

A second important objective concerns packaging waste generated during the preform delivery process. The company will explore the introduction of returnable packaging with established customers and bulk packaging with raw material suppliers, aiming to decouple packaging waste growth from production volume growth.

At group level, PET STAR SA is closely monitoring the evolution of European Regulation no. 40/2025 on packaging, which will progressively introduce mandatory minimum recycled content requirements for PET packaging. PET STAR SA is ready to meet these requirements — our recycling plant already produces rPET, and our preform plant integrates it directly into PET preform production.

A Shared Commitment Across Both Plants

Regardless of plant or activity, all PET STAR SA employees are responsible for correctly segregating waste at source, complying with internal waste management instructions, and reporting any situation that could lead to a negative environmental impact. Training sessions and transparent internal communication are the tools through which we turn environmental responsibility from a formal obligation into a genuine organizational culture.

6. Transparency, Reporting and Legal Obligations

PET STAR SA is committed to communicating transparently with authorities, partners and the general public on its environmental performance. In accordance with Art. 44 of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 92/2021, this program is published on the company’s website at www.petstar.ro and submitted annually to the Ialomita County Environmental Directorate by 31 May each year.

Each year, alongside the updated program, the company also reports on progress made in implementing the measures committed to in the previous program — a mechanism for accountability and continuous improvement.

Waste management records are maintained on a monthly basis in accordance with Government Decision no. 856/2002 and submitted annually to the environmental authority by 15 March. All waste shipments are accompanied by the required legal transport documents, and recovery and disposal partners are periodically verified to ensure their authorizations remain valid.

The company also reports to the Environmental Fund Administration and fulfils all obligations regarding packaging and packaging waste placed on the market. ISO 14001:2015 surveillance audits are carried out as scheduled and represent an important tool for independent verification of environmental performance.

7. Conclusion — PET STAR SA and the Circular Economy

Through the integration of our two plants — one that recycles PET collected from consumers, and one that transforms it into preforms for new packaging — PET STAR SA achieves something unique in the Romanian plastics industry: we close the circular economy loop for PET completely.

Every PET bottle placed in a recycling bin in Romania can become, through the processes at our plants, a new bottle on a supermarket shelf. This is PET STAR SA’s concrete contribution to waste reduction, to the conservation of natural resources, and to building a more sustainable economy.

The 2025 results confirm that we are on the right track: less waste generated, more energy and water saved, a near-perfect recovery rate.

In 2026, we continue along this path, with more ambitious targets and a firm commitment to reporting our progress transparently to authorities and to the public.