Coimbra will be the first stop for the Portuguese Environmental Agency’s (APA) new awareness campaign. From today (the 19th) through Sunday (the 21st), Praça da República will host the traveling “Roadshow” truck, inviting the local community to reflect on the importance of sorting the waste generated in their homes.

“The ‘Roadshow’s’ sustainable trailer features a quiz testing the public’s knowledge on proper waste sorting, a sustainable consumption simulator that identifies consumer profiles, workshops for creating art from recycled materials, and various games for the whole family, among other activities,” APA explains.

Additionally, the truck is accompanied by a mural that, at each stop, will collect the excuses citizens give for not sorting their waste correctly. The “mural of excuses” aims to “challenge the public to make fewer excuses and recycle more,” the agency notes.

With this initiative, the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign seeks to raise awareness about the time of year when urban waste production spikes: summer. “In 2025, between June and September, over 1.8 million tons of urban waste were produced; in August alone, Portugal generated more than 480,000 tons,” the APA states, highlighting that “July and August are the most critical months in the country, with August seeing the highest volume of waste production.”

Given this situation, the agency urges people to properly sort their trash during the summer holidays, “promoting responsible behaviors that ensure waste is correctly routed for recycling.” According to the APA, maintaining proper waste sorting habits is essential for reducing environmental impact.

“Contrary to common belief, summer is typically the period of highest waste generation in Portugal. This trend is expected to continue this year. However, it is important to emphasize that waste does not take a break or rest during the summer,” highlights José Pimenta Machado, President of the APA. He adds, “With this initiative, we hope to engage communities in a problem that concerns everyone, from the Algarve to the Minho.”

Starting in Coimbra, the roadshow will also stop in five other districts across the country: Aveiro (June 26–28), Braga (July 3–5), Castelo Branco (July 10–12), Évora (July 17–19), and Portimão (July 24–26). The “Let’s separate the waste” campaign will continue until the end of 2026.

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