Dozens of local residents and environmental activists gathered near the Portimão landfill this Thursday morning to call for concrete solutions to the bad smell and swarms of flies that have become a living nightmare for nearby communities.
The protest was organised by the Association of Residents of Odelouca, Porto de Lagos and Rasmalho and follows months of growing concerns over the impact of the Aterro Sanitário do Barlavento (Sanitary Landfill of the Western Algarve).
As The Resident reported in November 2025, nearby residents are at their wits’ end with horrible smells emanating from the landfill and the swarms of flies they attract. While many are calling for the closure of the landfill, there is actually an expansion project planned for the landfill – much to the dismay of the affected residents.
Jane Jones, a local resident attending the protest, said her kitchen floor and counters were recently completely covered with flies.
“It becomes impossible to cook,” Jones told us. “And it only seems to be getting worse.”
Environmentalist António Lambe continues to insist that this is not merely a local issue.
“You look around and see these kinds of problems all around the world,” said Lambe, from the environmental group Associação Ambiental para o Barlavento, who has been following landfill projects in the Algarve since the 1990s.
For Lambe, it’s essential to educate younger people about the impacts of poor waste management in order to avoid the same mistakes being made in the future.
In November, environmental association ZERO joined the outcry, accusing Algar (the regional waste management company and operator of the landfill) of breaching Portuguese law. The group said the company’s proposed expansion – which would add a new landfill cell capable of taking 150,000 tonnes of waste per year – involves dumping untreated organic waste, explicitly banned under Decree-Law 24/2024.
According to ZERO, organic waste makes up around 40% of what goes into the landfill – material that should instead be composted or turned into biogas. The group also noted that even Algar’s own environmental impact study admits the existing landfill already produces 55% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the Portimão municipality.
At the time, Algar guaranteed that the construction of the new Cell E at the landfill – foreseen in the original project, the company said – aims to ensure “the continued responsible management of urban waste in the region.”
It also said it was “fully available to speak with residents, listen to their concerns, and provide information about the work carried out” at its facilities.
What’s certain is that residents remain outraged over the impact that the landfill is having on their lives and are calling for authorities to finally take action.
