Report of the 2022 Regional Information System on Waste reveals positive evolution in waste management in the Azores

June 22, 2023

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change, Alonso Miguel, chaired today the public presentation session of the 2022 Regional Waste Information System (SRIR) report, at the Public Library and Regional Archive Luís da Silva Ribeiro, in Angra do Heroism.

“It is with great satisfaction that we find that, in general terms, there continues to be a positive evolution in waste management in the Region, which is crucial for the sustainable development of the Azores”, he considered, on the occasion

“In fact, there are good results in relation to several relevant indicators, first of all in relation to waste production in the Region. In 2022, even with the economic recovery and high tourist flows, there was a slight reduction in waste production, by 0.3% compared to 2021, i.e. around 400 tonnes less waste produced, which is a sign that the goal of decoupling economic growth from waste production is beginning to be achieved”, he revealed.

Also very positive, defined Alonso Miguel, are the results regarding the rate of preparation for reuse and recycling in the Azores, which rises again, increasing this time by 3.4% compared to 2021, settling at 33.4%.

“That is, in the space of two years, the rate of preparation for reuse and recycling rose 6.9%, which represents a very significant evolution”, he stressed.

The official stressed that "there was a positive evolution in relation to the material recovery and the rate of return of packaging, which rose again by 4% and 4.2%, respectively, in relation to 2021".

“Also in terms of the rate of waste disposal in landfills, there was again a reduction, in this case of 1.8% compared to 2021, contributing to the objectives outlined in the Strategic Program for the Prevention and Management of Waste in the Azores (PEPGRA 20 +), recently approved by the Regional Assembly”, he added.

Alonso Miguel declared that “these results demonstrate remarkable progress in waste management in the Region, as a result of the policies and measures that have been implemented by this Government in the last two years, but which also result from the significant efforts made by the municipalities, by the parish councils , by waste management operators and, individually, by each Azorean”.

The Regional Secretary also stressed that “there is a long way to go towards optimizing waste management in the Region”.

However, the implementation of the 95 measures provided for in PEPGRA 20+, the conclusion of the Circular Economy Roadmap, the restructuring of the Waste Processing Centers and their equipping, the creation of methodological guides for the implementation of the PAYT, SAYT and RAYT systems, the Non-Reusable Beverage Container System, among other measures, “will make a fundamental contribution to achieving the defined objectives”.

Alonso Miguel also asserted that the conclusion of the Ecoparque de São Miguel will also make a great contribution to achieving the goals defined in PEPGRA 20+, in line with the directives of the European Union, and at the moment the Mechanical Treatment Station and that next July the Biological Treatment Center will be inaugurated.

“At the beginning of 2025, the Energy Recovery Center is scheduled to start operating”, he continued.

The Secretary for the Environment underlined that it is, however, essential to continue to focus on environmental awareness and education, in the area of waste management and the circular economy, which is one of the focuses of the Offer of School Environmental Awareness Activities, within the scope of which , in the last two years, 463 actions were carried out, covering about 8 thousand students and about 1200 teaching professionals, in addition to the 238 awareness actions, aimed at the general public, which covered more than 4200 participants and various clarification actions and awareness directed at waste management entities and the business sector.