From July 17 to 19, the city of Évora is hosting an awareness-raising event organized by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), aimed at alerting the public to the importance of proper waste sorting, particularly during the summer season. The initiative takes place at Rossio de São Brás and is part of a traveling roadshow visiting various districts across the country to promote more sustainable behaviors within communities.

Over the course of three days—Friday (9:00 AM–6:00 PM), Saturday (9:00 AM–8:00 PM), and Sunday (11:00 AM–6:00 PM)—visitors can participate in various interactive activities, such as a recycling quiz, a sustainable consumption simulator, art workshops using recycled materials, and games designed for the whole family. A highlight of the event is the “Mural of Excuses,” a space displaying common reasons people give for not sorting their waste correctly, challenging participants to reflect on their actions and change their habits.

This initiative is part of the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign, which runs until the end of 2026; this phase focuses on the summer, a time of year that sees a significant increase in urban waste generation. Recent data shows that over 1.8 million tons of waste were produced in Portugal between June and September 2025, with August being the peak month at over 480,000 tons.

APA’s President José Pimenta Machado emphasizes that “summer is consistently the period of highest waste generation in Portugal,” urging people to adopt responsible habits even while on vacation. After Évora, the roadshow moves on to Portimão from July 24 to 26, continuing its nationwide tour to raise public awareness about reducing environmental impact and promoting recycling. The APA reiterates that proper waste separation is essential to ensure materials are sent for recycling and reinforces its call for the active participation of all citizens in this environmental mission.

Source