ALGAR, S.A., in partnership with the Algarve Food Bank Against Hunger (BACF Algarve) and with the support of Sociedade Ponto Verde (SPV), has launched the initiative “Glass Recycling Mission: We Can All Help”.
Funded by Sociedade Ponto Verde, the initiative aims to mobilise Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) across the Algarve to recycle glass packaging. By engaging IPSS and local communities, the campaign seeks to turn tonnes of glass containers into food aid for those most in need.
Solidarity and the environment hand in hand
The campaign aims to strengthen awareness of the correct separation and disposal of glass, linking good environmental practices to social causes. The action is part of the national project “Toneladas de Ajuda” (Tonnes of Help), run by the EGF Group, of which ALGAR is a member. The programme supports 118 IPSS in the Algarve, benefiting more than 18,000 users.
According to Miguel Aranda, Chief Executive Officer of ALGAR:
“Glass is a material that is 100% and infinitely recyclable, and can be reused continuously without losing quality. With the Glass Recycling Mission, we are not only reinforcing separation habits and diverting valuable material from landfill; we are also turning every bottle and jar into concrete acts of solidarity that reach institutions and people who need them most. This is how we take care of the environment and our community at the same time.”
Ana Trigo Morais, CEO of Sociedade Ponto Verde, highlights the importance of collaboration
“It is essential that we continue to work closely with waste management systems in order to meet packaging recycling targets. Glass, in particular, requires special attention, and campaigns like this allow us to be closer to citizens, encouraging them to separate correctly and recycle their packaging more effectively through recycling points. To reach where we want to be, namely achieving packaging recycling targets, we must remain committed, collaborative and invest in actions that generate more action. This is the only way forward.”
Increased support during the campaign
During the campaign period, which will run until February 2026, for every tonne of glass packaging delivered by IPSS to ALGAR facilities, a financial amount will be allocated to BACF Algarve. This amount will be converted into food for distribution to social institutions. To encourage participation, the value usually awarded under the “Toneladas de Ajuda” programme will be increased from €25 to €132 per tonne for the duration of the campaign.
The initiative aims to boost glass recycling in the region, where in 2024 only 1.9 tonnes of glass were collected under the “Toneladas de Ajuda” campaign. This figure is significantly lower than the amounts recorded for other waste streams covered by the same campaign, namely 563 tonnes of paper and cardboard packaging and 12 tonnes of plastic and metal packaging.
National recognition
“Toneladas de Ajuda”, the parent programme of this campaign, won the 2025 National Sustainability Award, presented by Jornal de Negócios in the Sustainability Communication category. The award recognises the project’s positive impact, innovation and its ability to mobilise IPSS and society at large.
Objectives of the Glass Recycling Mission
- Actively engage BACF partner IPSS by distributing 80-litre containers for the disposal of glass packaging generated in canteens, kitchens, communal areas or other spaces where such packaging is produced.
- Mobilise users, staff and local communities to deliver glass packaging to ALGAR facilities with sorting units or to Food Bank facilities in Faro and Portimão.
- Strengthen solidarity through recycling, linking good environmental practices to direct and measurable social impact.
- Consolidate habits of separation and recycling of glass packaging within institutions and the wider community, leaving a lasting legacy beyond the campaign period.
How it works
IPSS are required to correctly separate glass packaging, such as bottles and jars, and deliver them to ALGAR facilities with sorting units or to the Food Bank facilities in Faro or Portimão.
Each tonne delivered will be converted into food aid through BACF Algarve.
In 2025, Portugal remains below the European target for glass recycling, set at 70%. Data from Sociedade Ponto Verde indicate that the country recycles around 50% of glass packaging, below the target and showing a slight downward trend during some periods of the year.
Glass Recycling Mission: We Can All Help
