Waste sector "is one of the priorities" of the Ministry of the Environment
The Minister for the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, has placed the waste sector as one of the priorities of the Ministry and announced a campaign to reduce waste production.
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País Ambiente
"One of our priorities is, first, to reduce the waste we produce, then to select it, then to recycle it", the minister told Lusa, adding the importance of considering that many wastes are also raw materials that can be reused.
For now, she said, the Ministry is committed to carrying out a campaign "that reaches people", because "it is essential to reduce waste", and then it is also essential to carry out selective collection, and to recycle, and to implement "a true circular economy", using more and throwing less into the garbage.
The minister admitted that it is difficult, but said that it is possible to change habits with campaigns, with legislation and with a lot of information.
Maria da Graça Carvalho was speaking to Lusa after meeting this morning with nine environmental organizations, the most relevant in the country, having agreed, she said, that from now on this type of meeting will be regular.
According to the minister, in addition to waste and the great concern that production is increasing instead of decreasing, the meeting discussed topics such as the country's ambitions in the fight against climate change, the energy transition and major projects in this area, the lack of water, biodiversity and nature conservation.
"And we talked about funding, the Environmental Fund, something we are doing, that the Environmental Fund was aimed at the fight against climate change and environmental quality, but that it was done with known, transparent rules, and faster and more objective assessments. We are already doing this", she said.
Last month, the Ministry had already told Lusa that a new regulation is being created for the Environmental Fund, to give it more competence and transparency.
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