The "Recycling Hotline" (*Linha da Reciclagem*) marks its fifth anniversary on October 27, having handled over 250,000 inquiries and issues. Established by the EGF Group and its 11 concessionaires, this free, nationwide public service aims to connect citizens with waste management and recycling systems. It provides answers to questions, collects suggestions and complaints, forwards these matters to the relevant entities, and tracks the subsequent responses. Requests for information were the most common type of interaction, accounting for over 100,000 entries, followed by complaints (over 75,000) and service requests (over 50,000). Between 2022 and 2025, the annual volume of contacts and issues rose from 34,635 to 59,532—a 72% increase that reflects both growing usage and the trust users place in the service. Common questions from users include how to dispose of specific types of packaging, how door-to-door selective waste collection works, and whom to contact when a recycling collection point (*ecoponto*) is damaged or malfunctioning. Schools, associations, and businesses can also reach out for information or to request environmental awareness materials.

ERSUC has just launched the project “Glass to Glass: We Make the Impossible Happen” (“Vidro a Vidro Fazemos o Impossível”), an initiative aimed at increasing the selective collection of glass packaging within the hospitality, restaurant, retail, and service sectors. The project will run until December 15, 2026, and will be implemented across 17 municipalities within ERSUC’s service area that currently utilize door-to-door selective collection systems: Águeda, Albergaria-a-Velha, Anadia, Aveiro, Cantanhede, Coimbra, Condeixa-a-Nova, Estarreja, Figueira da Foz, Ílhavo, Mealhada, Mira, Miranda do Corvo, Montemor-o-Velho, Ovar, Penacova, and Vagos. In total, the project will directly involve 2,923 clients. Through this initiative, ERSUC seeks to improve both the quantity and quality of glass sent for recycling, targeting a sector that still holds significant potential for resource recovery. Over the course of nearly two months, teams of clearly identified staff members will visit participating establishments to provide information, assess current waste-sorting practices, and support the adoption of more sustainable habits.

ERSUC hereby wishes to inform you that the reception of all waste at the Figueira da Foz Transfer Station will be suspended from 10 October to 17 October 2026 (inclusive), due to the need to carry out repair works on the road and traffic network. During the period indicated, unsorted waste from the municipality should be delivered to the Integrated Centre for the Recovery of Municipal Solid Waste (CITVRSU) in Coimbra, during the same opening hours as those currently in place at the Transfer Station.

ERSUC hereby wishes to inform you that the reception of unsorted municipal waste at the Estarreja Transfer Station will be suspended from 12 October to 10 November 2026 (inclusive), due to the urgent need to carry out corrective maintenance on the compactor and conveyor belts. During the period indicated, unsorted waste from the municipality should be delivered to the Integrated Centre for the Recovery of Urban Solid Waste (CITVRSU) in Aveiro, during the same opening hours as those currently in place at the Transfer Station.

As part of the 1st Regional Environmental Technologies Conference, organised by APEMETA – the Portuguese Association of Environmental Technology Companies – a technical visit took place today, 16 September, to ERSUC’s Integrated Centre for the Treatment and Recovery of Municipal Solid Waste in Coimbra. The visit enabled participants to gain a first-hand understanding of the infrastructure, processes and solutions implemented by ERSUC for the treatment and recovery of urban waste, providing an opportunity for direct contact with a leading operational model in the field of waste management.

ERSUC wishes to inform you that the collection service for unsorted municipal waste at the Ossela Transfer Station will be temporarily suspended between 1 and 29 September 2026 (inclusive), due to the need to carry out corrective maintenance work on certain equipment. During this period, unsorted municipal waste originating from municipalities in the region should be sent to the Aveiro Integrated Centre for the Recovery and Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste, whilst the usual delivery times at the Ossela Transfer Station will remain in place.