Deposit-return scheme Volta covers only 7% of packaging

Sociedade Ponto Verde estimates that Volta, Portugal's new deposit-return system for drink containers, will collect only 5% to 7% of all packaging currently handled by the broader SIGRE waste management system. Its CEO, Ana Trigo Morais, says she has high expectations for Volta but considers it a small slice of the overall packaging managed nationally. Volta, run by SDR Portugal, has collected over 10 million containers since launching, with a target of 40% of packaging placed on the market by end-2026. Trigo Morais also calls for more competition, investment and innovation in Portugal's wider waste collection sector.