The Minister of Environment, Maria da Graça Carvalho, acknowledged the existence of constraints in the initial phase of the Volta System, the new packaging deposit and refund mechanism in effect since April 2026. From Brussels, the official stated it is a complex process, but guaranteed that reported anomalies are being analyzed and resolved on a case-by-case basis.
Among the main problems identified, the lack of collection points stands out, with the minister highlighting the urgency of installing more machines, especially large-capacity ones, to meet demand and curb the accumulation and abandonment of packaging on public streets. The placement of specific containers attached to waste bins is also being studied to prevent people from rummaging through trash looking for packaging to obtain refunds. In the hospitality and catering sector, meetings are underway to streamline and simplify the application of the system, while logistical constraints at festivals have already been overcome.
Enforcement of the system is shared between SDR Portugal, the non-profit association that manages the system, and local authorities, with coordination with municipalities considered vital for defining the strategic location of collection equipment.
The Volta System covers plastic bottles and single-use metal cans up to three liters, applying a 10-cent deposit refunded to the consumer upon delivery. The urgency of the measure is reflected in the country's heavy bill for non-compliance with European recycling targets, with Portugal having paid around 200 million euros last year due to unrecycled plastic, accumulating an expense of 600 million euros over the last three years.
