Packaging waste collection edges up 1.1% in nine months, short of targets

Separate collection of packaging waste in Portugal rose 1.1% between January and September 2026, reaching 373,182 tonnes, according to Novo Verde, the body that manages the packaging system. Paper and card contributed most by volume, up 4.4%, while glass, about 45% of the total, grew just 0.7%. Plastic, steel and aluminium all fell, by 3.8%, 6% and 4.6% respectively. Novo Verde's director-general, Pedro Simões, says the growth is not enough for the national targets and that every material stream must speed up. The body plans more awareness campaigns, its own collection networks and closer work with municipalities.