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Alonso Miguel inaugurated the Deposit System for Non-reusable Beverage Packaging in the Azores

Alonso Miguel inaugurated the Deposit System for Non-reusable Beverage Packaging in the Azores

May 17, 2022

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change, Alonso Miguel, inaugurated today on the Zona Verde do Paul da Praia da Vitória the Deposit System for non-reusable Beverage Packaging in the Azores, within the celebrations of the International Recycling Day.

The governor mentioned that it is a “pilot project for the installation of 25 reverse logistics machines, on all the Azorean islands, with at least one per each of the 19 municipalities of the Region”.

This project represents an investment of around 1 million euros, 90% funded by the EEA Grants under the Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Programme.

According to the Secretary, “the aim is to increase the amount of selective collection of plastic, metal and glass beverage packaging waste, through the attribution of 0.05 euros to the consumer, for each package deposited in this equipment”.

“With the implementation of this Deposit System for Non-reusable Beverage Packaging, the aim is to instil in the population better habits of separating and forwarding waste for recycling and to foster the circular economy, thereby contributing to a reduction in the extraction of raw materials from nature and also to minimising the impacts of abandoning waste,” stressed Alonso Miguel.

The Regional Secretary highlighted that “this project also includes a strong focus on the communication component, with the mission of disseminating, informing and making the Azorean population aware of the vital importance of a paradigm shift, based on the transition to a circular economy”.

Alonso Miguel also mentioned that “innovative measures, such as this system that we inaugurate today, complemented with other relevant initiatives underway in the Region, such as the preparation of the Regional Circular Economy Regulation, the Restructuring Waste Processing Centres project to adapt the selective organic collection composting process or the preparation of a technical guide for the implementation of PAYT systems in the Azores, ensure efficient waste management”.

“It is expected that this project will be widely accepted by the Azorean population and that this deposit system may make an important contribution to ensure compliance with the commitments and targets assumed at regional, national and EU levels, in terms of recycling, as well as accelerating the transition to a circular economy”, said the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change.

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