Novo Verde, the packaging waste collection system, Mafra City Council and Tratolixo-Gestão de Resíduos Urbanos are presenting a campaign to promote sustainable consumer behaviour as part of their collaboration – Pingo Doce da Malveira store has been selected as a Partner for that pilot project.
From October 1, all customers of this store will be able to participate in the recycling process and return their PET bottles directly on-site. In return, they will receive vouchers worth €0.02 or €0.05, which they can use for their purchases.
This initiative is part of the European Union’s package of measures and overall waste management objectives, as well as the European Strategy for Plastics, which stipulates that all packaging made of this material placed on the market in the European Union must be reusable or easily recyclable by 2030 (Regulation No. 202/2019 of July 3).
Plastic beverage bottles, as single-use plastic products, should be subject to deposit systems to impact their collection rate and by that, the quality of the collected and recycled material.
Mechanisms to promote the return of single-use plastic beverage containers will be put in place by December 31 of this year to identify possible alternatives for the future that will maximize the recyclability of recovered materials, which will be reused in the manufacturing process of new bottles.
Ricardo Neto, President of Novo Verde, states that “this project is essential for Novo Verde, as we are convinced that it is an excellent way to test the concept and prepare consumers and other stakeholders to adopt sustainable behaviours. Through this collection system, it will be possible to obtain materials with better quality and recyclability, which will facilitate their return to the recycling process and their future incorporation into new products.”
Hélder Sousa Silva, Mayor of Mafra, summarizes, “Recycling is a crucial factor in the objective of reducing the amount of waste, thus protecting our environment and our planet. By participating in this pilot project, the City Council wants to encourage citizens to adopt sustainable behaviours, especially in the collection of waste from beverage containers. Always with the thought in mind that protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility!”
For João Dias Coelho, administrator of Tratolixo, “this initiative is an excellent way to achieve the collection objectives, increase the quality and circulation index of this material and facilitate its recycling.”