More and more municipalities are speaking out against Algar’s “subpar” service
Lagos has become the latest municipality in the Algarve to formally criticise the service provided by Algar, the company currently responsible for the collection and treatment of recyclable waste (cardboard, plastic and glass) in the region.
In a motion approved in a recent town council meeting, the borough says Algar “consistently fails to meet the scheduled collection times, leading to the accumulation of waste around recycling bins and ecological islands throughout the municipality.
“This, in turn, results in hygiene issues that pose a threat to public health, as well as negatively impacts the quality of life for residents and the reputation and image of Lagos,” the council says, adding that the town’s economy “heavily relies on tourism and visitors.”
Making matters worse is that nothing has been done despite the council’s repeated warnings to Algar.
“Between February and July of this year, the municipality identified and reported the existence of 2,890 containers at or near their capacity, surrounded by recyclable waste,” it says.
“Furthermore, due to Algar’s inadequate response, many residents and visitors end up depositing recyclable waste in bins designated for mixed waste, undermining the goals set by the Municipality of Lagos and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) within the framework of the Strategic Plan for Urban Waste,” the local authority laments.
As a result of these issues, the council says it has taken it upon itself to “make every effort, within its human and material capabilities, to mitigate the effects of Algar’s poor service,” which includes “strengthening the collection of recyclable waste, a responsibility that squarely falls on Algar.”
The council adds that Lagos joins other Algarve municipalities which have already expressed their discontent with the “subpar service” provided by Algar.
“This issue has a negative impact on the environment, society, and the local economy, affecting the entire territory,” the local authority concludes.
