LIPOR | Leading Portugal’s transition toward a circular waste management system

The 2024 Urban Waste Annual Report (RARU 2024) from the Portuguese Environment Agency highlights the urgent need for Portugal to advance toward a more circular waste management system. In this context, LIPOR stands out for its strategic performance and leadership. Serving over one million residents across eight municipalities, LIPOR achieved results above the national average in 2024: per capita waste generation below the national level, 5 679 tonnes of biowaste treated locally through home and community composting, and a selective collection rate of 28% compared to the national 23%. LIPOR also reached a 31% preparation for reuse and recycling rate, up from 26% in 2023, and continues to record one of the lowest landfill rates in Portugal thanks to its energy recovery plant. 

Beyond operational performance, LIPOR plays a strategic national role through its organic and energy recovery facilities, producing high-quality compost and ensuring energy valorisation instead of landfill disposal. It also supports intermunicipal cooperation by sharing infrastructure with other waste systems, helping address national capacity gaps identified in PERSU 2030. Looking ahead, LIPOR is preparing new projects, including a plastic sorting line and an anaerobic digestion unit, to strengthen multimaterial and organic recovery and further boost circularity. The 2024 results confirm LIPOR’s commitment to achieving Portugal’s recycling and landfill reduction targets while positioning itself as a benchmark for sustainable regional waste management. 

Source: www.lipor.pt (in Portuguese)