The Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) has launched the third phase of its communication campaign, “Let’s separate the waste”. This summer campaign highlights the time of year when waste generation spikes, encouraging the Portuguese people to “recycle” their excuses and separate their waste. “Start by recycling your excuses” is the call to action.

The awareness campaign, developed by the agency Nossa, introduces a new step in the recycling process: challenging citizens to recycle their excuses first. “During the holidays, it is common to hear excuses like: ‘it all goes to the same place,’ ‘the bin is too far away,’ or ‘I don’t want the hassle while on vacation.’ This is precisely the obstacle the campaign seeks to dismantle, inviting the Portuguese to leave excuses behind and adopt more responsible behaviors,” APA explains in a statement.

The previous phase of the campaign “demonstrated how the failure to properly separate waste is exhausting landfill capacity in Portugal, specifically highlighting the need to separate biowaste.” Despite this, not all regions of the country have implemented biowaste collection, and information regarding waste collection and treatment is not always clearly communicated. Consequently, the APA encourages citizens to contact the responsible authorities: “If your area doesn’t have a biowaste bin, speak to your municipality.”

The agency Nova Expressão is responsible for disseminating the message across various channels, with the summer campaign appearing on television, radio, digital media, in the press, and on billboards.

Alongside the campaign, APA is promoting an awareness initiative that is traveling across Portugal over 18 days via a mobile roadshow, inviting communities to reflect on the importance of waste separation.

The “Let’s separate the waste” campaign runs until the end of 2026 and was the result of one of the biggest advertising competitions of 2025.

Source

Braga is hosting the national roadshow “Let’s separate the waste” until tomorrow. This initiative, promoted by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) with support from the Environmental Fund and European co-financing, aims to raise public awareness regarding the proper separation and recovery of biowaste.

Praça da República has thus been transformed into a space for learning and interaction, bringing together hundreds of children, families, and visitors to promote more sustainable habits.

During the presentation of the initiative, Braga’s Mayor, João Rodrigues, highlighted the importance of hosting an event of this scale in a city that is growing and facing new environmental challenges. “Braga’s growth also brings new challenges regarding waste management, and we must be prepared to address them,” he stated, emphasizing that raising awareness among younger generations is crucial. “It is vital to start educating children about the importance of waste separation. We know much more today than we did a few years ago, and that information needs to reach families,” he stressed.

João Rodrigues also expressed satisfaction that Braga is part of the campaign’s national tour, noting that the presence of the APA and the Office of the Secretary of State for the Environment reinforces the municipality’s commitment to sustainability policies. Also in attendance, the Secretary of State for the Environment, João Manuel Esteves, called for the entire population to get involved in changing behaviors. “We want a clean Portugal, and that starts with each of us,” he stated. The official explained that the priority is to avoid waste generation, reduce waste, reuse, and recycle, noting that bio-waste can be transformed into compost for agriculture or into energy. “Waste can cease to be mere trash and become a resource with environmental, economic, and social value,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, the president of the Portuguese Environmental Agency, José Pimenta Machado, warned of the rise in waste generation during the summer months, explaining why the campaign is taking place at this time of year. “Each Portuguese person produces about half a ton of waste annually, and around 40 percent of that is biowaste,” he noted, adding that Portugal’s separate waste collection levels remain insufficient. “We need to change behaviors. The best waste is the waste that isn’t produced; when it is produced, it must be correctly sorted so it can be recovered,” he argued.

The “Let’s separate the waste” roadshow is traveling across the country, featuring games, workshops, interactive challenges, and educational activities for all ages. It aims to encourage greater citizen participation in waste sorting and reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills.

During the stop in Braga, around 150 children from local schools and institutions took part in the initiative’s launch, reinforcing the commitment to early environmental education.

Source

There is “bad news” in Portugal regarding separate waste collection, but the Portuguese Environmental Agency is already taking action to address it. From July 3 to 5, Praça da República is hosting a series of awareness-raising activities on how to manage household waste.

With each passing year, the Portuguese people produce more waste. In 2024—the most recent year for which records exist—the country generated 5.5 million tons of municipal waste (a 4% increase over the previous year), 40% of which consisted of bio-waste. This growth has not been matched by the volume of separated waste, which has stagnated at 20% for the past seven years. A response is needed; consequently, Braga is joining the cause by hosting the “Let’s separate the waste” project, organized by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA).

The APA initiative arrived in Braga this Friday, July 3, aiming to encourage people to reflect on how they sort their waste at home while promoting awareness-raising activities regarding the behaviors they should adopt.

The session was attended by the president of the Portuguese Environmental Agency, José Pimenta Machado, who reported what he described as “bad news” regarding waste collection in Portugal. He emphasized the need to “act fast and change,” especially given that there are targets to meet—targets that currently remain far out of reach.

By 2035, the APA aims to increase the rate of separate waste collection from 20% to 65%. Furthermore, within the same timeframe, it targets a reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfills from 50% to 10%.

The situation worsens during the summer. According to the official, 40% of waste is produced between June and September, prompting the APA to launch these awareness-raising campaigns during this period.

The first stop was Coimbra, followed by Aveiro, and now Braga. The roadshow will also visit Castelo Branco, Évora, and Portimão, fulfilling the goal of properly managing the country’s waste—an objective outlined by the Secretary of State for the Environment in statements to RUM.

To this end, João Manuel Esteves highlights the need for early education on the importance of waste sorting—a practice that extends beyond the yellow, blue, and green recycling bins. The roadshow aims to raise awareness about the use of the brown bin for biowaste.

Meanwhile, Braga municipal official João Rodrigues highlights the importance of hosting this awareness-raising project in the municipality.

The Mayor of Braga points to the municipality’s population growth, which is accompanied by increased waste generation and the challenge of managing discarded materials. For this reason, he emphasizes the need to educate young people so they can subsequently share this knowledge with their families at home.

The roadshow is open to visitors until next Sunday, July 5.

Source