Lisbon's bottle-deposit scheme sparks street-level 'rubbish hunt'

Three months after Portugal launched the Volta deposit-return system, refunding 10 cents per bottle or can, an unexpected side effect has emerged in Lisbon: people scavenging bins overnight to collect containers for cash. Parish leaders in areas like Misericórdia report overturned bins, scattered rubbish attracting animals, and public health concerns, alongside isolated incidents of territorial disputes between collectors. Reporting by Observador found scavengers ranging from cleaners and retirees to migrants, some earning up to 150 euros in a single day. Nationally, over 55 million containers have been deposited since April, with a transition period for labelling running until 9 August.

This appeared in the Pulse of 15 July 2026 — Read that edition →