August is the month when the Portuguese generate the most waste. The Portuguese Environmental Agency reveals that 480,000 tons of urban waste were produced last August. A conversation with the president of the Portuguese Environmental Agency, José Pimenta Machado.
Waste generation spikes during the summer months. Last year, between July and September, nearly 2 million tons were produced—with the highest volume in August. The Portuguese Environmental Agency emphasizes the importance of not forgetting to recycle, even during the holiday season. Statement by José Pimenta Machado, President of the Portuguese Environmental Agency.
The Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) marked the start of summer with a communication and awareness-raising initiative highlighting the urgent need for proper urban waste sorting in Portugal, traveling through six districts of the country, from Braga to Portimão.
The final stop of APA’s summer awareness campaign is in the city of Portimão—specifically at the Portimão Marina—running from Friday (9:00 AM–6:00 PM) through Saturday (9:00 AM–8:00 PM) and Sunday (11:00 AM–6:00 PM). Over the coming days, a traveling “Roadshow” truck will invite Algarve communities to reflect on the importance of sorting the waste generated in their homes.
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 family-friendly games, among other activities.
The Roadshow also features a mural that collects the excuses people give for not sorting their waste correctly at each stop—the “Mural of Excuses.” This thought-provoking mural aims to challenge the public to make fewer excuses and recycle more. This latest phase of APA’s “Let’s separate the waste” campaign draws attention to the time of year when urban waste generation spikes. Between June and September 2025, over 1.8 million tons of urban waste were produced, with Portugal generating more than 480,000 tons in August alone. The summer campaign aims to highlight this period of increased waste generation, as July and August are the most critical months in Portugal, with August seeing the highest volume of waste produced.
Against this backdrop, the APA highlights the urgent need for proper waste sorting during the summer holidays, encouraging responsible behaviors that ensure waste is correctly routed for recycling. During this season, when families and friends gather—whether at home or while out and about—proper waste sorting must not be neglected, so as to minimize environmental impact. “Contrary to popular belief, summer is typically the period when the most waste is generated in Portugal.
This trend is expected to continue this year. However, it is important to emphasize that waste generation does not take a break or rest during the summer. With this initiative, we hope to engage communities in an issue that concerns everyone, from the Algarve to the Minho,” notes José Pimenta Machado, President of the APA.
Portimão is the final stop of the roadshow, but the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign will continue until the end of 2026.
The final stop of the APA’s summer awareness campaign is at the Portimão Marina, running from Friday (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM) through Saturday (9:00 AM – 8:00 PM) and Sunday (11:00 AM – 6:00 PM).
The Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) kicked off the summer with a communication and awareness initiative highlighting the urgent need for proper urban waste sorting in Portugal, traveling across six districts from Braga to Portimão.
Over the coming days, a traveling truck—or “Roadshow”—will invite Algarve communities to reflect on the importance of sorting the waste generated in their homes.
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 family-friendly games, among other activities.
The Roadshow also features a mural that collects the excuses people give for not sorting their waste correctly at each stop—the “mural of excuses.” This thought-provoking mural aims to challenge the public to make fewer excuses and recycle more. This latest phase of the APA’s “Let’s separate the waste” campaign draws attention to the time of year when urban waste generation spikes.
Between June and September, over 1.8 million tons of urban waste were produced; in August alone, Portugal generated more than 480,000 tons. The summer campaign aims to highlight this peak period for waste generation, as July and August are the most critical months in Portugal, with August seeing the highest volume of waste produced. In this context, the APA highlights the urgent need for proper waste sorting during the summer holiday period, encouraging responsible behaviors that ensure waste is correctly routed for recycling.
During this season, when families and friends gather—whether at home or while out and about—proper waste sorting should not be neglected, so as to minimize environmental impact.
“Contrary to common belief, summer is typically the period when the most waste is generated in Portugal. This trend is expected to continue this year. However, it is important to emphasize that trash does not take a break or rest during the summer. With this initiative, we hope to engage communities in a problem that affects everyone, from the Algarve to the Minho,” says José Pimenta Machado, President of the APA.
Portimão is the final stop of the roadshow, but the “Let’s separate the waste” campaign will continue until the end of 2026.
The Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) marked the start of summer with a communication, awareness-raising, and information campaign highlighting the urgent need for proper urban waste sorting in Portugal; the initiative has traveled through six districts across the country, from Braga to Portimão.
The final stop will be at the Portimão Marina on Friday, July 24 (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM), Saturday, July 25 (9:00 AM – 8:00 PM), and Sunday, July 26 (11:00 AM – 6:00 PM). Using a traveling truck—or “Roadshow”—the agency invites communities to reflect on the importance of sorting the waste generated in their homes. The Roadshow 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 family-oriented games, among other activities.
This latest phase of the APA’s “Let’s separate the waste” campaign draws attention to the time of year when urban waste generation spikes. Between June and September, over 1.8 million tons of urban waste were produced, with Portugal generating more than 480,000 tons in August alone.
“Contrary to popular belief, summer is consistently the period with the highest waste generation in Portugal. This trend is expected to continue this year. However, it is important to emphasize that trash doesn’t take a break or rest during the summer. With this initiative, we hope to engage communities in an issue that concerns everyone, from the Algarve to the Minho region,” says José Pimenta Machado, President of the APA.
From July 24 to 26, Portimão Marina will host the final stop of the “Roadshow”—a campaign promoted by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA).
This initiative aims to raise public awareness regarding the proper sorting of urban waste, particularly during the summer, which is the peak period for waste generation in the country. Over the three-day event, the venue will feature various activities for all ages, including games, material reuse workshops, a recycling quiz, and a simulator designed to assess sustainable consumption habits. The event also includes a mural where visitors can learn about the most common reasons people give for not sorting their waste—part of an effort to encourage behavioral change.
The campaign is part of the national strategy “Let’s separate the waste”, through which the APA seeks to highlight the importance of maintaining recycling habits during the holidays—a time when the volume of waste produced rises significantly.
According to agency data, over 1.8 million tons of urban waste were generated in Portugal between June and September 2025; August alone saw more than 480,000 tons, marking the highest figure of the year. After visiting several districts across the country, the roadshow concludes in Portimão, though the awareness campaign itself will continue until the end of 2026, aiming to foster more responsible waste management and boost recycling rates.
