"Whether they're in the kitchen or in the garage, we take them for recycling" is the motto of a pilot project developed by the Lisbon City Council and the waste management association Electrão, which aims to promote the collection of bulky electrical equipmentdirectly into people's homes. This project is a pioneer in Portugal, and for the time being, covers three parishes in Lisbon - Ajuda, Alcântara and Belém, the July 1st and lasts until December 31st.
Residents in the parishes of Ajuda, Alcântara and Belém can now request the collection of their electrical equipment by calling the following number 808 20 32 32 of the municipality. A collection team will ensure that the equipment is moved from the house, storage room or garage to the transport vehicleThey will also be properly disposed of for recycling. During the service, which is completely free of charge, all the hygiene and safety rules defined by the Directorate-General for Health will be complied with, including the use of personal protective equipment.
This initiative aims to test a citizen-friendly waste collection service, which will complement the range of disposal sites provided by Electrão, and which will can be consulted on this site. This project also aims to complement the bulky waste collection service that Lisbon City Council provides to all residents by ensuring that bulky electrical equipment is moved from inside the home using its own means. The difference is that in this new service, household appliances are sent to their final recycling destination.
Since 2015, Lisbon City Council has been increasing the amount of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) sent to its final destination, and between 2018 and 2020 it recorded an increase of more than 40%, from 245.74 tons to 438.09. In the first six months of this year, it has already collected 194.65 tons of household appliances and other electronic waste.
Protecting the environment and fighting the parallel market
Each family accumulates an average of 11 pieces of electrical equipment that they no longer useaccording to a recent study by the United Nations. This accumulation by citizens is preventing an increase in the recycling of electrical equipment, not only in Portugal, but throughout Europe. "Unlike packaging and batteries, which can be easily transported by consumers, large electrical equipment, such as refrigerators or washing machines, can pose problems for some citizens who, for various reasons, are unable to carry them to a disposal site. This is one of the barriers we want to overcome with this service"explains Electrão's general manager, Pedro Nazareth, in a press release.
This solution also aims to tackle one of the major problems associated with this type of waste: the parallel market. A lot of large electrical equipment, which are placed on the public highway to be transported by the municipal services, they end up being diverted from the official circuit before the municipal vehicle arrives. This is a worrying situation, given that a lot of used equipment ends up not being decontaminated, which harms human health and the environment.
The innovative service also aims to fill some of the gaps in reverse logistics, i.e. collecting used equipment when buying new. "The pilot project will ensure that the electrical equipment collected, some of which contains hazardous materials, will be sent for recycling to licensed facilities, helping to meet Portugal's national collection targets."says Pedro Nazareth.
