The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism highlighted on Flores the "excellent performance" in waste management to such as extent that, for the second consecutive year, all urban waste was recovered.
"In 2016 and 2017, about 85% of urban waste was sent for recycling and organic recovery (composting) and the remaining 15% for energy recovery at TERAMB," said Marta Guerreiro. She spoke at the end of a visit to the Flores Waste Processing Centre under the Government's statutory visit to this island.
The Secretary for the Environment pointed out that "Flores Island is at the forefront" in terms of waste management, considering that "these results demonstrate a consolidated strategy."
Marta Guerreiro highlighted "the fundamental role of the two municipalities on the island of Flores in the development of their urban waste collection systems as well as their strong commitment to selective collection."
The Regional Secretary also highlighted the fact that two other islands have followed the good example of Flores in 2017, reaching the "zero landfill" goal: Corvo and Santa Maria.
Marta Guerreiro also visited the sealing works of the old dump in Santa Cruz das Flores, noting the completion of the contract work to reinforce the vegetable cover support, following the occurrence of landslides.
At the site, the government official welcomed the information that the works now carried out have stabilised the soil on the slopes, allowing the vegetable cover to develop normally.
Marta Guerreiro also stated that the intervention will include sowing of endemic species and the regular monitoring until vegetation covers most of the slopes.