The President of the Government, Carlos César, presided over the ceremony to launch the first stone of the waste processing centre on Corvo on Thursday.
This is a regional investment of nearly 700,000 Euros which will enable the selection and removal of all types of waste from the island, except rubble and organic waste.
According to the Regional Secretary for the Environment and the Sea, who spoke on the occasion, perishable waste will be processed into inert matter which may be even used to make organic fertiliser. The remaining materials will be separated, packaged and removed to Flores where they will be sent to the regional waste recovery system.
After this process, all recyclable materials are sent off the Azores as well as the energy value to be recovered bi incineration.
Álamo Meneses stressed, on the other hand, the work already developed by the Corvo Town Hall in the cleansing of the place where the waste processing building will be located and reminded that the council is responsible for collecting the waste as well as for raising the population’s awareness for sorting waste, an essential task to ensure the success of the investment.
The Regional Secretary also explained that the works started on Thursday include the sealing of an open dump that existed on the island for many years.
Álamo Meneses also said that the waste processing centres on Corvo, Flores and Graciosa, the latter two are at an advance stage of construction were awarded the priority status by the Regional Government for the reason they biosphere reserve which will the first to be waste free.