Circular synergies – Challenges for Portugal

Resource productivity and waste recovery indicators show that Portugal is below the European average. Despite the targets and actions plans set by most of national waste management plans, there has been little improvement or even tangible initiatives towards resource efficiency. It is important to foster company-level projects such as those based on the industrial symbiosis concept, by identifying their potential and the associated environmental, social and economic benefits and impacts.
These are some of the conclusions from the “Circular synergies – Challenges for Portugal” study, by BCSD Portugal – Business Council for Sustainable Development, which was launched on the 6th March 2018. The study analysed national data from 32 BCSD Portugal member companies with the aim of exploring synergies in the field of waste. More specifically, the objectives of the study were:

• Mapping of the quantities of produced and received waste and by-products from the participating companies;
• Identification of industrial symbiosis opportunities among participating companies and the rest of the economy;
• Assessment of the potential environmental, social and economic impact of the identified symbiosis;
•  Identification of a set of recommendations and opportunities for action within the scope of public policies to support the transition to a circular economy and industrial symbiosis.

The report (in Portuguese) can be downloaded here.