“The situation, which also happens at other times of the year, is aggravated during the summer by the high temperatures”, highlighted the municipality in the district of Faro in a statement.
According to the municipality, Algar “is not responding to the needs of the municipality, which receives thousands of tourists during the summer season, which exponentially increases the amount of waste produced”.
The service provided by Algar was also criticised by the Portimão City Council which, on Tuesday, in a statement, warned “of possible unhealthy problems” that could arise from waste piled up near recycling bins.
According to Albufeira City Council, selective collection is a reason for complaints from residents and tourists and “a major concern for the municipality which, every day, is confronted with ecopoints and ecological islands overflowing with waste that is scattered across the ground, causing health problems”.
The collection of paper and cardboard, plastic, glass and metal “is not done frequently enough”, with the waste sometimes remaining for several days accumulated and spread around the containers, emphasises the municipality.
“This situation is terrible for the image of Albufeira” warns the president of the Chamber, José Carlos Rolo, cited in the note.
Algar is made up of 56% by Empresa Geral de Fomento (EGF), of the Mota-Engil Group, and 44% by the 16 municipalities of the Algarve, serving a population of around 451 thousand inhabitants, in a total area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers.
All the bins are overflowing with recyclables here in Cabanas de Tavira. Haven’t been emptied in over a month.
By AV from Algarve on 31 Aug 2023, 11:01
What waste collection? It's just disgusting. Luckily it's mostly glass and paper/cardboard....
By Fred Doe from Algarve on 31 Aug 2023, 11:22
It's a real problem across the Algarve. Burgau is a disaster zone during the summer, bins overflowing daily everywhere. It stinks and looks terrible and visitors just keep throwing rubbish onto the piles. Councils need to rethink how they recycle as the demand is too great. Bins where you have a small hole to place recycling waste into are of no use.
By Martin from Algarve on 31 Aug 2023, 11:31
My criticism is not with the local councils for their waste collection facilities and services but with residents who ignore the specifications for the different types of recyclables wanted in the specific containers. Each waste container is clearly marked with what items to include and what to exclude but people ignore this and dump all sorts of rubbish in the wrong containers. I fear this makes a lot of it no longer fit for recycling and now destined for the landfill. When we are provided with facilities for waste disposal why do people not use them properly? It is annoying for people like myself who spend time sorting our recyclable waste into separate categories only to find someone else has ignored this at the local waste container.
By Steve Andrews from Other on 31 Aug 2023, 16:04
We live outside of Algoz and our bins are regularly targeted by businesses dumping their waste. We don't want our bins filled with industrial waste. These people need to be stopped and given heavy fines. In the UK it is called flytipping!
By Susan from Algarve on 01 Sep 2023, 07:52
Greetings! It wasn't just Algar. Inframoura (Vilamoura) has been totally disastrous. Quarteira municipality services have done a much better job.
Just wanted to drop my thoughts. Thank you!
By Manuel Alves from Algarve on 01 Sep 2023, 23:19
Generally speaking all public services in Portugal are mediocre, people accept everything that is thrown at their plates despite the people who work on these public entities being paid by the very Portuguese. People need to get together more and protest creatively but seriously.
By Diogo F. from Lisbon on 26 Sep 2023, 21:10