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

The project aims to engage the community in adopting more sustainable habits, reinforcing the importance of the separate collection of biowaste and reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills.

On July 3, 4, and 5, Braga will host the “Let’s separate the waste” national roadshow at Praça da República. This is a nationwide initiative promoted by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA), supported by the Environmental Fund and co-financed by European funds; it is dedicated to raising public awareness and mobilizing the population regarding the proper separation and recovery of biowaste.

The project aims to engage the community in adopting more sustainable habits, reinforcing the importance of the separate collection of biowaste and reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills.

The official presentation of the roadshow in Braga was attended by João Rodrigues, the Mayor, who underscored the initiative’s crucial impact on the municipality’s future. “This project is vital for waste management in a city that is continuously growing and needs to adjust its environmental responses to that dynamic,” he noted on the occasion.

João Rodrigues also highlighted the strategic focus on “educating the youth,” emphasizing that “it is fundamental to teach the importance of waste separation from an early age, ensuring that new generations grow up knowing that biowaste is very important” and that its proper treatment makes all the difference.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State for the Environment, João Manuel Esteves, acknowledged the project’s scale and ambition, stating that this commitment is “important for everyone.” The official took the opportunity to stress the national vision for the sector: “We want a clean Portugal”—a goal that, according to him, depends directly on the success of grassroots initiatives like this one.

Also present at the session, the President of the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA), José Pimenta Machado, highlighted seasonal sustainability challenges, noting that “with the arrival of summer, we generate more waste,” which makes reinforcing these awareness-raising campaigns among residents and visitors “even more urgent.”

Around 150 children from local schools and social welfare institutions also joined the initiative. This strong participation by young people gave special significance to the project’s launch, underscoring the importance of environmental education from an early age and the involvement of new generations in adopting more sustainable behaviors. Through fun and educational activities, the children learned about best practices for sorting and recovering organic waste, becoming active agents in promoting a culture of environmental responsibility.

Source

On July 3, 4, and 5, Braga’s Praça da República is hosting the national roadshow “Let’s separate the waste”. This nationwide initiative is promoted by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) with support from the Environmental Fund and co-financing from European funds; it is dedicated to raising public awareness and mobilizing the population regarding the proper separation and recovery of biowaste.

The project aims to engage the community in adopting more sustainable habits, reinforcing the importance of separate biowaste collection and reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills.

The official presentation of the roadshow in Braga was attended by Mayor João Rodrigues, who underscored the initiative’s crucial impact on the municipality’s future. “This project is vital for waste management in a city that is constantly growing and needs to adapt its environmental responses to that dynamic,” he noted.

João Rodrigues also highlighted the strategic focus on “educating the youth,” emphasizing that “it is fundamental to teach the importance of waste separation from an early age, ensuring that new generations grow up knowing that bio-waste is highly important” and that proper treatment makes a significant difference.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State for the Environment, João Manuel Esteves, acknowledged the project’s scale and ambition, stating that this commitment is “important for everyone.” He took the opportunity to stress the national vision for the sector: “We want a clean Portugal”—a goal that, according to him, depends directly on the success of grassroots initiatives like this one.

Also present at the event was the President of the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA), José Pimenta Machado, who drew attention to seasonal sustainability challenges. He noted that “with the arrival of summer, we produce more waste,” making the reinforcement of these awareness campaigns among residents and visitors “even more urgent.”

Around 150 children from local schools and non-profit social organizations also joined the initiative. This strong participation by young people gave special significance to the project’s launch, reinforcing the importance of environmental education from an early age and the involvement of new generations in adopting more sustainable behaviors. Through engaging educational activities, the children learned about best practices for sorting and recovering organic waste, becoming active agents in promoting a culture of environmental responsibility.

Source

José Pimenta Machado, president of the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA), expressed regret today that Portugal sends 50% of its waste to landfills and warned that “we need to pick up the pace and make changes,” as the goal is to reduce this figure to 10% by 2035.

Speaking to journalists in Braga—where he took part in an awareness-raising event for the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign—José Pimenta Machado was blunt in his assessment of the country’s waste management performance.

“The bad news is that, over the last seven years, our figures for separate waste collection have stagnated; they haven’t risen above 20%. We want to see a significant increase, particularly regarding bio-waste (…). And more than 50% of waste goes to landfills. It is no longer possible to build new landfills in Portugal. Therefore, the focus must be upstream—on collection, prevention, and generating less waste. That is where our hope lies,” he said.

APA’s president reiterated key national waste management targets to underscore the call for waste separation. Alongside the Secretary of State for the Environment, João Manuel Esteves, and the Mayor of Braga, João Rodrigues, he emphasized that this is a collective effort involving both the central government and local authorities.

“We have a target for 2035: we need to reach a 65% rate [for waste separation]. So, we have to move—we have to pick up the pace. As I mentioned, we currently send over 50% of waste to landfills, and we must reduce that to 10% by 2035. This is a major challenge for the country. We all have a role to play in this,” he stressed.

The “Let’s separate the waste” campaign is touring the country with a physical installation featuring exhibits, information, and games designed specifically for children and young people; the site is also open to school visits, as highlighted by João Manuel Esteves.

“Younger people have a major advantage: they force us all to think. We have to do better; we have to sort our waste (…). We want a circular economy—one that makes use of exactly what we throw away, turning it into value,” said the official, highlighting the importance of this campaign, which takes place in the summer because that is when the most waste is generated. “It is in the summer that we produce the most waste.

It is in the summer—during those four months from June to September—that the country generates 40% of its total waste. Each of us produces half a ton of waste annually. That is 519 kilograms a year, or 1.4 kilograms a day. And within that 1.4 kilograms, bio-waste accounts for 40%,” noted APA’s president.

Pimenta Machado added another appeal: “The best waste is the waste that isn’t produced in the first place—hence our focus on prevention and our daily choices. We often end up burying valuable products; if you sort your waste, you can extract value from it, create a product, or even produce green gas.”

After the summer focus, the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign will continue through the end of the year.

The roadshow includes a quiz to test public knowledge on proper waste sorting, a sustainable consumption simulator that identifies consumer profiles, workshops for creating art from recycled materials, and games. It also features an “mural of excuses,” displaying the reasons people often give for not sorting their waste correctly.

The APA—a public institute within the State’s indirect administration—is the entity responsible for implementing environmental policies in Portugal, with a mandate covering monitoring, planning and assessment, licensing, and enforcement.

Source