The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Environment revealed today that the Azores have sent nearly 12 thousand tonnes of waste to Mainland Portugal in 2013. The government official spoke at the opening session of the 12th Meeting of VALORPNEU Network in Ponta Delgada.

Luís Neto Viveiros stated that this very significant result was achieved due to the fact that "all integrated management systems for different kinds of waste are in operation." The systems are run by operators and managing entities that are responsible for the collection, transport, storage and the delivery of waste to its appropriate final destination.

The Regional Secretary highlighted the work developed by VALORPNEU which, through a contract established by the Government of the Azores that involved several companies, was able to remove, between 2007 and 2010, "an environmental liability of 6,200 tonnes from the islands of Santa Maria, São Miguel, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico and Faial."

Currently, Luís Neto Viveiros stressed that "the only flow of tires in the Autonomous Region of the Azores is the normal flow that is annually generated, proportionally to the import of new tires to the archipelago."

According to the Regional Secretary, estimates point out to an import of 1,374 tonnes of new tires to the Azorean market in 2013 and the generation of 1,388 tonnes of used tires in the same period of time.

The waste management strategy that is being implemented in the Azores is one of the fundamental axes on which the development strategy for the Region is based. In this regard, Luís Neto Viveiros revealed that it has two primary goals.

"Firstly, it aims to promote regional cohesion by providing, almost simultaneously, several islands with the appropriate waste management infrastructure and, then, solve the uncontrolled disposal of waste." The second goal of the strategy is focused on the "recovery of waste, thus contributing to the European waste recovery goals," stated the Regional Secretary.

In respect to Pico Waste Processing Centre, Luís Neto Viveiros revealed that the decision concerning the judicial action brought by a bidder was known Wednesday; it was in favour of the jury of the tender, who had awarded the contract to Resiaçores. This decision will allow the entry into operation of the centre still this year.

In the Azores, the waste processing centres of São Jorge, Graciosa, Flores and Corvo are already in operation; the latter only processes recyclable waste.

"On the seven islands, the solution was to end landfills. The waste that cannot be recovered by composting or recycling is sent to energy recovery," assured the Regional Secretary.

According to the government official, there will be only landfills to support the energy recovery plants to be built on São Miguel and Terceira, under the management of the respective local authorities.

As the Regional Secretary revealed, the estimated costs for the construction of the entire Waste Management System of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, including the construction of energy recovery units, amount to approximately 200 million Euros. The works have been carried out with regional funds as well as with funds granted under the Cohesion Fund and ERDF.