Portugal produced 5.667 million tonnes of urban waste in 2025 and recycled 39 percent, against a 55 percent target. Landfill still took 52 percent, and 34 municipalities have no real bio-waste collection, the Environment Agency's annual report shows.
627 million deposit-bearing containers were sold from April to July and the return rate to August was 44 percent. The 10 cents left behind on each one helps pay for the scheme, its operator says.
Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.º 181/2026, published on 17 September, adopts the Estratégia TERRA+ for 2026 to 2030, creates a delivery committee with ten days to form, and splits 1.644 billion euros of investment support across five heads.
Maria da Graça Carvalho told journalists in Brussels that festivals, the hospitality trade, too few machines and people rummaging bins for the 10-cent refund are all being worked on case by case. Dedicated containers beside existing bins are under study.
Portugal's Volta deposit-return scheme has taken in more than 55 million bottles and cans in its first three months, up sharply from 10 million at the two-month mark. Each eligible container carries a refundable 10-cent deposit, reclaimed at 2,500+ points.
The Volta beverage-container deposit-return scheme operated by APED — Associação Portuguesa de Empresas de Distribuição recovered roughly 400,000 plastic bottles and aluminium cans across the first four weeks of operation between 10 April 2026 and the...
The recycling bin colour codes, the brown bin for food waste, the new deposit return scheme, and where to drop oil, batteries, electronics, and bulky items.
