A mobile unit\u2014housed in a truck\u2014is currently in Coimbra to raise awareness about the importance of recycling, particularly regarding biowaste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recycling is increasingly becoming a crucial step for every household. With the implementation of the “Volta” packaging deposit-refund system, attention has once again turned to this topic; to ensure renewed focus on the various types of recycling, the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) has launched a new initiative to inform both the general public and municipal authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Currently, we capture about 14% of biowaste, but we aim to reach 60% by 2030; we have a long road ahead,” explained Ana Cristina Carrola, a board member at the APA. According to the expert, current data shows that over 50% of biowaste ends up in landfills, rendering it unusable. “All the value that could be extracted from this resource remains buried,” she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Ana Cristina Carrola explained, this type of “waste” often ends up mixed with general household trash, making it impossible to salvage or transform into “useful” material. “Biowaste is highly valuable; it can be reused in various ways\u2014such as for fuel\u2014but if it isn’t separated, it ends up with a very short lifecycle.” To extend this lifecycle, the first step is to explain to the public how to separate it and, above all, what it actually is. “Biowaste includes, for example, uneaten food\u2014such as peanut shells, orange peels, and bread scraps\u2014as well as garden leaves and grass clippings,” highlighted Paulo Mansilha, one of the technicians staffing the APA\u2019s mobile unit. The truck arrived in Coimbra yesterday and will be at Pra\u00e7a da Rep\u00fablica informing the community until Sunday. “To make use of this resource, it is necessary to separate it into the brown bin\u2014and that is what we want to highlight and help show people the importance of,” the young man revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ensure it reaches more people, the APA roadshow will travel to various locations across the country. Aveiro, Braga, Castelo Branco, \u00c9vora, and Portim\u00e3o are the next stops, ensuring that every district is informed not only about what bio-waste is but also about how to request the brown bin from their municipality. “There are already 200 municipalities offering this, and we want that number to keep growing,” the official stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n