“Within the scope of this strategy, it is considered important to invest in modernising the system by installing access controls. The application of this concept will allow CML to evolve, in the future, towards the adoption of an economic instrument that encourages behaviour change (Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT), Save-As-You-Throw (SAYT) or Receive As-You-Throw (RAYT) models)”.

The implementation of an economic instrument associated with the selective collection of food waste will guarantee those who adopt good practices, reducing waste production and separation, “a personal gain in economic terms, promoting more justice and a reduction in urban waste going to landfill”, highlighted the CML.

In 2023, the municipality of Lisbon began pilot projects for the selective collection of food waste in the residential sector in the parishes of Benfica and São Domingos de Benfica, “which focused on a consolidated residential area, with 34,000 homes”, to test initiatives and services before their large-scale implementation.

The food waste collection solution was based on the distribution of door-to-door containers, with 66% of homes served by this system, and on public roads, with the installation of 42 containers on the street, in a proximity model, indicated the CML, noting that this test of a different model for the temporary storage of food waste “was extremely important for validating the final model for the city”.

“According to monitoring actions on collection models, in quantitative terms, a positive evolution was observed, showing a correlation between the quantities of food waste over time”, indicated the councillor for Urban Hygiene, Ângelo Pereira (PSD).

“One of the major challenges identified is the inappropriate packaging of food waste by citizens, as well as its disposal”, revealed the municipality, adding that the communication services were asked to produce periodic publications to raise awareness among citizens regarding the use of bags, to “avoid undesirable situations of contamination of the container and/or disposal equipment”.

The process of expanding food waste collection in the city of Lisbon complies with the amendment to the European Commission's Waste Framework Directive, which resulted in the mandatory collection of food waste by December 31, 2023.