Braga is part of the itinerary for the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign promoted by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA). This initiative aims to raise awareness about the time of year when waste generation spikes; July and August mark the most critical period in Portugal, with August seeing the highest volume of waste produced.

APA notes that between June and September, over 1.8 million tons of urban waste were generated, with Portugal producing more than 480,000 tons in August alone.

Against this backdrop, the APA highlights the urgent need for proper waste sorting during the summer holiday season, encouraging responsible behaviors that ensure waste is correctly routed for recycling.

“During this seasonal period when families and friends gather—whether at home or while out and about—proper waste sorting must not be neglected, so as to reduce environmental impact,” the agency urges.

“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. With this campaign, we hope to engage communities in an issue that concerns everyone, from the Algarve to the Minho,” states José Pimenta Machado, APA’s president.

Provocative Mural

APA’s summer awareness-raising initiative features a traveling truck—a “Roadshow”—that invites communities to reflect on the importance of waste sorting. The 18-day campaign will visit the cities of Coimbra, Aveiro, Braga, Castelo Branco, Évora, and Portimão.

The Roadshow’s sustainable trailer features a quiz testing the public’s knowledge of 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.

The Roadshow also includes a mural that—at every stop—collects the excuses people give for not sorting their waste correctly: the “mural of excuses.”

“This provocative mural aims to challenge the public to make fewer excuses and recycle more,” states APA.

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