Waste prevention and management must be carried out in accordance with the principles of the waste hierarchy, which aims to transition towards a circular economy and achieve a high level of resource efficiency. It must follow this order:

a) Prevention;
b) Preparation for reuse;
c) Recycling;
d) Other types of recovery;
e) Disposal.

Around 5.5 million tonnes of waste are produced every year, and one of the main objectives of waste policy is to reduce this figure.

Prevention — the principle at the top of the waste hierarchy pyramid — involves implementing measures that enable a real reduction in the quantity of waste produced. Citizens, as waste producers, play a key role and can contribute to this goal through informed consumer choices and by adopting practices that facilitate the reuse of products or materials, thereby extending their useful life. Donating, purchasing reusable products, or choosing products that are not single-use whenever alternatives are available on the market are all actions that contribute to an effective reduction in waste production.

However, this is not solely a responsibility for citizens. Those who sell products must also adopt measures that extend the useful life of the products they sell (for example, by providing spare parts that allow products to be repaired). Prevention is not limited to materials and products — there is also a very significant dimension relating to the fight against food waste.

It should be noted that for waste whose production cannot be avoided, citizens should adopt behaviours that ensure it is sent to the correct bins, thereby guaranteeing that it is recycled or directed towards other forms of recovery.

For more information, visit the Portuguese Environmental Agency’s website at www.apambiente.pt