According to the Portuguese Environment Agency, "The Strategic Plan for Urban Waste (PERSU 2030) aims to continue the implementation of the national waste policy, guiding the agents involved to implement actions that allow the country to be aligned with EU policies and guidelines, contribute to increasing prevention, recycling and other forms of recovery of urban waste, with the consequent reduction in the consumption of limited natural raw materials.

This plan focuses on waste prevention and selective collection, with particular attention to new fractions: textile waste, hazardous waste and bio-waste, while also promoting the use of materials derived from waste (waste-derived fuel, compost, recovered recyclables, biogas and ash/slag).

DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS

The European Environmental Targets to which Portugal is subject for the years 2030 and 2035 are very demanding, with the Recycling Target implying reaching 60% and 65% of total existing municipal waste for the years 2030 and 2035, respectively, and the Landfill Target in 2035 cannot exceed 10% of all treated municipal waste, which naturally requires a profound change in the habits of the Portuguese population.

In 2021, in Portugal, 56% of waste was landfilled and the Recycling Target reached 32%, and this is the starting point at national level.

MORE CONSCIOUS AND SUSTAINABLE HABITS

Recycling materials is a necessity for a sustainable world, and the figures show that the Portuguese are already aware of this fact. Proof of this is that we all now recognise recycling as one of the practices that we can easily adopt in our daily lives and that will have a major impact on the sustainable future of the planet, both in terms of resources – virgin materials – that are saved by incorporating recycled materials into products, and in terms of the environmental impact generated by the treatment of urban waste. This environmental awareness, already ingrained in Portuguese society, is in itself a very positive development.

In any case, it will be necessary to create routines and new habits in each Portuguese household, starting with the reduction and reuse of resources, moving away from the role of waste producer and taking on the role of resource manager.

When we start the habit of separating biowaste (or food and garden waste), which represents the largest amount of our waste, we will need to have a fifth bin in our homes for the rest, because the main bin will now be for biowaste.

In view of the above, Valnor would like to invite citizens residing in its area of intervention (Northern Alentejo Region) to participate in the preparation of the Urban Waste Action Plan. To this end, please answer the short questionnaire below, which is anonymous.

Find out more about the municipalities in Valnor's area of operation here.