Lisbon, March 5, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese minister for the environment has said that the new deposit-return system (SDR) for single-use plastic and aluminium drinks containers is "perhaps one of the biggest environmental projects that Portugal is implementing".

Speaking on Wednesday at the end of the presentation of the SDR (or “Volta” in Portuguese) system, for the collection of single-use plastic and aluminium drinks containers with financial compensation (10 cents), Maria da Graça Carvalho recalled that the waste sector is one of the "most difficult" in terms of European targets, and warned: "we continue to produce a lot of waste, we are not reducing or separating enough".

The SDR system, which will come into operation next month, is already used in 18 countries with good results, said the minister, adding that she hopes the system will help change mindsets.

In a speech at the end of the presentation, the minister had already said that the SDR would be fundamental to meeting national and European recycling targets.

‘"It is perhaps the largest environmental project ever implemented in Portugal," and is an investment of €150 million without public funding, she said, recalling that next year single-use plastic bags must also be replaced by more sustainable ones.

The government, said Maria da Graça Carvalho, is committed to increasing reuse targets and reducing plastic consumption.

And it is, she recalled, working with the distribution sector to reduce the weight of packaging on products for sale, acknowledging that the government may regulate if an agreement cannot be reached.

Asked about a possible energy crisis resulting from the Middle East war, the minister recalled that there are oil and gas reserves for about three months, spoke of support in the event of increases of more than 10 cents in fuel prices, and recalled the existence of emergency clauses regarding gas to protect the price of electricity and to protect the price of gas itself.

FP/AYLS // AYLS

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