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Tabuaço JUNTAr: circular composting and recycling
Published on 10 August 2021
Portugal
Norte
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
In the Municipality of Tabuaço, in 2017, only 6 % of the urban waste was sorted and recycled, with 94% being deposited in landfill. An analysis of the waste revealed that 73% of this amount was composed by recyclable or valuable waste items, of which 49% corresponded to biowaste. Thus, the Municipality engaged in a campaign to raise awareness, increase sorting rates and valorize biowaste through a mega-project of community composting.
The project started with a campaign in close proximity to the community, with surveys, face-to-face workshops, active and passive communication and information. Afterwards, individual bins for sorting waste (including biowaste containers) were distributed to each household, according to the results of the surveys. The community was also engaged in the construction and implementation of composting sites and devices. A practical handbook on composting was distributed to all households as well as instructions for correctly sorting waste.
The objectives are being reached by reducing waste deposited in landfill and by increasing sorting and valorization rates of recyclable and bio waste.
The main stakeholders are: households, city council, council parishes, waste management company.
The project started with a campaign in close proximity to the community, with surveys, face-to-face workshops, active and passive communication and information. Afterwards, individual bins for sorting waste (including biowaste containers) were distributed to each household, according to the results of the surveys. The community was also engaged in the construction and implementation of composting sites and devices. A practical handbook on composting was distributed to all households as well as instructions for correctly sorting waste.
The objectives are being reached by reducing waste deposited in landfill and by increasing sorting and valorization rates of recyclable and bio waste.
The main stakeholders are: households, city council, council parishes, waste management company.
Resources needed
- Technicians for environmental education and for monitoring/managing the community composting programme
- Containers and bins for biowaste and recyclable items
- Space for community composting sites
- A strong information and communication campaign, with high quality informative materials
- Containers and bins for biowaste and recyclable items
- Space for community composting sites
- A strong information and communication campaign, with high quality informative materials
Evidence of success
- In the 1st year, landfill occupation was reduced by 7%.
- Sorting rates almost duplicated in general (and triplicated in packaging items).
- Almost the entire population engaged in recycling and composting.
- Sorting rates almost duplicated in general (and triplicated in packaging items).
- Almost the entire population engaged in recycling and composting.
Potential for learning or transfer
This practice is particularly interesting for municipalities or regions with low human density or of a rural nature. In Tabuaço, the whole population is of 6350 inhabitants, living in 4422 households.
The learning potential is related to the way the Municipality ascertained the number and type of bins to distribute in order to optimize results; and how they organized the awareness raising campaigns in close proximity to the population.
The learning potential is related to the way the Municipality ascertained the number and type of bins to distribute in order to optimize results; and how they organized the awareness raising campaigns in close proximity to the population.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
Organisation
Municipality of Tabuaço
Portugal
Norte
Contact
Coordinator