10 thousand euros prize distinguishes the "Separa e Ganha" initiative
Algar is the winner of the first edition of the competition launched by Electrão, in 2022, to distinguish awareness, communication and education initiatives developed by Municipal Waste Management Systems (SGRU) in order to encourage the separation and correct routing of batteries and used electrical equipment for recycling.
The prize, worth 10 thousand euros, was awarded to Algar for the dynamization of the campaign "Separa e Ganha", which consists in a competition between schools, promoting recycling in the Algarve region.
The aim of the prize launched by Electrão is to promote closer collaboration with the Municipal Waste Management Systems, which are crucial to the success of collection and recycling, given their proximity to citizens.
The award aims to distinguish innovative campaigns, developed by SGRU, while promoting the availability of differentiating solutions that enhance waste collection, namely batteries and used electrical equipment.
"The SGRU that integrate the Electrão network are reference partners in the collection of used batteries and electrical equipment. The awareness campaigns, developed taking into account the specificities of each region, can make a difference in environmental education while involving a wider community. The work developed by Algar in schools is an example of this and the results are there to see", congratulates the General Director of Electrão, Ricardo Furtado.
Algar's "Separa e Ganha" campaign was launched in the 2012/2013 school year. Over 10 years of raising awareness of more than 188,000 students from various schools and promoting good practices, it enabled the collection of more than 84 tonnes of batteries and used electrical equipment.
In the 2022/2023 school year, the campaign reached 137 schools registered, reaching more than 46 thousand students. In partnership with Escola Electrão, this system collected, in 2022, more than 23 tonnes of used batteries and electrical equipment.
Outside the scope of the campaign in the competition, Algar collected 584 tonnes of used batteries and electrical equipment, which were sent for recycling by Electrão, equivalent to 1.3 kilos per inhabitant, which contributed to the national results in these flows.
"Algar, S.A., is the company responsible, in the Algarve, for the recovery and treatment of municipal waste produced in the region, provides an essential public service to citizens and all economic activities that fall under its scope, and it is its duty to raise awareness of all citizens to the adoption of appropriate environmental behaviours regarding the management of their resources and waste and facilitate the entire process of separation of packaging for recycling.
The partnership between Algar and Electrão improved the separation in schools, but also influenced the surrounding community, since the schools, due to the tradition of recycling this flow and the containerization conditions they have, guarantee a better separation and the correct routing for recovery, so that the population identifies these places as points of reception of this waste. The contribution of the resident population in the surroundings of the schools was also fundamental, besides recycling they also helped the schools to achieve the best results for the region," says Telma Robim, Executive Director of Algar.
About ALGAR
Algar - Valorização e Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos, S.A., is the entity responsible, in the Algarve, for the integrated system of selective collection, transfer, sorting of materials for recycling, energy use of biogas produced in landfills composting of green waste and the treatment of solid urban waste deposited in landfills, produced in the municipalities of Albufeira, Alcoutim, Aljezur, Castro Marim, Faro, Lagoa, Lagos, Loulé, Monchique, Olhão, Portimão, São Brás de Alportel, Silves, Tavira, Vila do Bispo and Vila Real de Santo António. / Algar, as part of its activity, is available to schedule guided tours to its facilities.
For more information, please contact Maria João Carolino | 967758321 | gci@algar.com.pt
About Electrão
Electrão - Waste Management Association is the entity responsible for three of the main waste collection and recycling systems: packaging, batteries and used electrical equipment. It manages a network for the collection of used electrical equipment and batteries with over 9000 collection points throughout the country and is also responsible for packaging recycling throughout the country. Its main mission is to ensure the recycling of the waste collected, contributing to the minimisation of the environmental impact and to the reuse of the materials that constitute them, promoting the circular economy. It develops several communication and awareness campaigns with the aim of promoting greater environmental awareness and behavioural change, of which we highlight the "Quartel Electrão", the "Escola Electrão", the "TransforMAR" and the "Movimento Faz Pelo Planeta By Electrão".
