With investments of hundreds of millions of Euros, the European Union sought to tackle the issue by mandating the closure of harmful landfills and the introduction of European waste standards. It took authorities 12 years to remove the landfill in Pata Rât and to open a new waste management center. But how much has really changed? DW reporter Gönna Ketels delves deep into the details of EU-funded projects, as she confronts the grim realities of waste management in Romania and an intricate web of responsibilities.