The Algarve is recycling more than ever, smashing national targets, but the region’s success hides a problem: the strain posed by tourism.
According to the Sociedade Ponto Verde (SPV), a non-profit private entity which manages Portugal’s packaging waste system, the Algarve’s summer surge in visitors is inflating numbers and creating huge seasonal strain on local recycling services.
“The heavy tourist pressure creates disparities compared to the national picture and demands specific solutions,” says Ana Trigo Morais, CEO of Sociedade Ponto Verde. “The region must ensure these strong results translate into consistent service for residents and visitors, with more frequent collections, reinforced recycling bins and innovative approaches in high-pressure areas.”
To put the situation into numbers, Algarve residents and visitors sent an average of 68.1 kilos of packaging per person for recycling in 2024, comfortably beating the 2025 target of 59.2 kilos. That’s a 23% increase since 2020, backed by a 40% rise in payments to the SGRU system, from €4.9 million in 2020 to €6.9 million in 2024. Glass recycling also climbed, up 18% in the same period to 39.2 kilos per capita, already above the 2025 goal – but growth here lagged behind other materials, raising concerns given glass’s weight in national recycling targets.
SPV argues that the Algarve can be a leader if investment is turned into measures which have a real impact. The group proposes a series of reforms: more ecopontos (waste collection points), door-to-door collection in urban zones, smart sensors and intelligent routes, reward schemes for correct separation, support for circular local production, and stronger environmental education in schools and communities.
Nationally, the picture is less rosy: Portugal’s packaging recycling rate was just 57.8% in 2024, still short of the 65% target for 2025. Despite €95 million invested in the first half of 2025, progress was minimal – up just 2% on the year before – while glass recycling actually fell by 1,300 tonnes.
National investment in the packaging waste system (SIGRE) will hit €219 million in 2025, up €99 million from the previous year. SPV says Algarve municipalities now carry extra responsibility to put their share of funding to use. “The Algarve has unique conditions to lead,” insists Trigo Morais. “It’s about turning investment into real impact, with year-round services that deliver sustainability, innovation and quality of life.”
