More than 2 billion plastic bottles, metal cans, and glass containers have been returned in Hungary since the MOHU REpont system launched in July 2024, according to a statement released Tuesday by the country’s concessionary waste management company, MOHU. The milestone reflects Hungary’s growing dedication to environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.
Prior to the introduction of the new concession framework, only about 30 per cent of beverage containers in Hungary were recycled, based on industry estimates. Thanks to the Deposit Return System (DRS), now operating under the MOHU REpont brand, the rate of collection has risen sharply. This not only benefits the environment by reducing waste, but also enables the efficient reuse of valuable raw materials.
Consumers can return containers at over 3,000 automated and 1,700 manual return points across the country. The majority—over 80 per cent—opt to receive their deposit refund in the form of store credit vouchers, with more than 80 billion forints already returned in this way.
Meanwhile, about 15–20 per cent of users transfer their refunds directly to their bank accounts via MOHU’s custom REpont mobile app. The platform also allows donations, and nearly 200 million forints have already been pledged to charitable causes.
MOHU compensates retailers with a handling fee for each returned container, while the operation of the system—including maintaining and emptying reverse vending machines—is the responsibility of the stores.
The broader goal, MOHU states, is to help Hungary meet the European Union’s targets: a 65 per cent recycling rate for packaging waste and reducing landfill rates to below 10 per cent.
To reach these targets, MOHU is pursuing several infrastructure projects in addition to the return system. These include building modern waste yards across the country, constructing a high-capacity recycling facility capable of processing 360,000 tons of waste annually, quadrupling the number of textile collection containers, and distributing one million selective waste bins free of charge to households.
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