Romania's struggle with bad waste management and illegal dumps has been a long-standing issue. Cluj County, once home to the notorious illegal garbage dump, Pata Rât, became a focal point of the waste crisis. 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 close and rehabilitate the old 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. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.