Portugal will not be able to meet the packaging recycling targets set for 2025, despite the historic increase in investment in the selective collection system, which reached €147,6 million in the first nine months of the year — €63,8 million more than in the same period of 2024. Data released by Sociedade Ponto Verde (SPV) confirms that the quantities of packaging sent for recycling grew by only 2%, a value considered insufficient to reach the 65% recycling rate required by the European Union by the end of the year.

According to the report, 369 tons of packaging were collected up to the third quarter, 8.013 tons more than in the same period of the previous year. However, the growth is " negligible " and " does not keep pace with the level of investment made ," warns SPV.

“ As we enter the last quarter of 2025, it is clear that Portugal will not be able to meet its packaging recycling targets. We are investing more than ever, but without a true modernization of the system, the results continue to fall short of the investment made by the managing entities ,” stated Ana Trigo Morais, CEO of Sociedade Ponto Verde.

Glass and ECAL continue to be a concern.

Among the materials analyzed, glass and liquid food packaging (ECAL) continue to raise the greatest concerns. Glass recycling is completely stagnant (0%), with 165.071 tons recycled, while ECAL registered a 7% drop, totaling 5.835 tons.

SPV points out that, following the update of the counterpart values (VC) — amounts paid by SIGRE to municipal and multi-municipal collection systems — a further €11,98 million was injected specifically into glass collection. Even so, “ this investment has not translated into concrete results ,” the entity warns.

Paper, plastic and aluminum prices are rising slightly.

The remaining materials showed slight growth: paper/cardboard increased by 4% (122.537 tons), plastic increased by 3% (66.005 tons), and aluminum also grew by 3% (1.709 tons).

Despite these positive signs, the overall balance of the sector is considered unsatisfactory. SPV speaks of a " paradox ": private investment almost doubled by 2025, but the increase in the recycling rate was only two percentage points.

“ More than ever, it is necessary to ensure that investment translates into more effective recycling and transparent data. It is incomprehensible that, with more resources than ever before, recycling is stagnant ,” adds Ana Trigo Morais, arguing that the funds applied must generate tangible results and improve the performance of municipal systems.

It is urgent to modernize the system.

SPV insists that the priority should be the modernization of selective waste collection, in order to ensure that investments translate into more recycled packaging and better services provided to citizens.

The Integrated Packaging Waste Management System (SIGRE) currently has unprecedented financial resources, but without increased operational efficiency and technological innovation, Portugal will remain far from meeting European targets.

“ We want every euro invested to translate into more recycled packaging and a real contribution to national targets ,” concludes the SPV representative.

With the last quarter of the year already underway, the expectation is that the final results will confirm a year of record investment, but also of performance below expectations — a clear sign that the future of recycling in Portugal depends less on the money available and more on the effectiveness of the system.