Portugal Suspends Waste Imports

Portugal has suspended imports of waste until the end of 2020 to protect domestic landfill capacity, news agency Reuters reported in May, referring to a statement of the government.

The country usually attracts waste from other European states because of its low waste management fees: The treatment of a ton would cost 11 Euro; the European average is about 80 Euro. “This decision is intended to ensure we have sufficient national capacity in waste processing facilities”, the government was quoted. The country had already blocked 246,000 tons of waste from entering since the start of the year, and no new imports would be accepted. The government is due to revise its laws on landfills and waste management this summer, as waste reduction and recycling targets become harder to attain due to the pandemic, the news agency stated.

(GR22020, Page 37, Photo: Sofia Morgado / Pixabay)