On World Recycling Day, celebrated on May 17th, we remember that every gesture counts and every choice matters. Therefore, we highlight the Tons of Help campaign, a solidarity initiative that combines recycling with social responsibility, through which it was possible to allocate more than €920,000 to social solidarity institutions last year, in the form of financial compensation for recyclable material delivered to EGF companies. These amounts positively impacted approximately 85,000 people through the support provided by 538 institutions that participated in the campaign. The Tons of Help campaign is aimed at social and non-profit institutions in Portugal and is available in the EGF's area of ​​operation, through its 11 concessionary companies, covering approximately 60% of the national territory.

Valorsul, a leading waste management company in Portugal, is set to take a significant step towards modernising its operations with the implementation of an artificial intelligence system developed by Greyparrot, a company specialising in automated waste analysis solutions and one of the winners of the first edition of Open Innovation Valorsul 2024. The new technology will enable real-time monitoring of the composition of materials entering the sorting station, driving continuous improvement in results and increased operational efficiency. The aim is to enhance the capacity for recycling packaging, reducing the volume of waste sent for energy recovery. To this end, Valorsul is testing automated solutions based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) that will overcome current limitations and increase the accuracy and speed of processes. The Greyparrot Waste Intelligence system combines highly robust cameras installed above the conveyor belts with proprietary software capable of identifying and quantifying 111 material classes at high speed. At Valorsul, the equipment will be installed at strategic points – material intake, the PET product line and the rejects line – providing unprecedented operational visibility.

The municipality of Alter do Chão, part of the Urban Waste Management System run by Valnor, a company of the EGF Group, has been consolidating the selective collection of bio-waste as a fundamental pillar of its sustainable waste management strategy, recording consistent growth since the service was first implemented in November 2023, and has already become a national benchmark. In the first year, the monthly average stood at 4 tonnes of bio-waste collected. In 2024, this figure rose to an average of 19 tonnes per month, climbing to 26 tonnes in 2025 and reaching, by 2026, an average of 27 tonnes per month, representing a 42% increase over two years.