REAP - "Recycling and reimbursement of aluminum and PET packaging - pilot system"

About this project

<p>The issue of the project is to implement the possibility that students and Universidade de Aveiro workers can be reimbursed for each bottle they return. This return will be made using specific equipment that will be purchased by the project. The reimbursement amount must be credited to the UA Single Card, which is already associated with the institution's access and payment systems. The pilot project aims to contribute to a sustained reflection on the current Universida de Aveiro waste management model, with a multiplier effect expected in the regional context. With this pilot project, the Universidade de Aveiro is increasingly assumed as a reference institution in the national and international panorama, remaining at the forefront of adoption sustainability policies, for a more sustainable human development model based on the circular economy. It is expected that, with a dedicated separation, complying with a lower degree of contamination, the product resulting from the collection will have a higher quality and an increase in the selective collection of PET and aluminum will occur. The environmental assessment of the pilot project will be carried out through the application of life cycle analysis (LCA).</p>

Bilateral cooperation results

The partnership with Infinitum AS, a leader in recycling systems in Norway, significantly strengthened the technical and strategic components of the project. Their expertise guided the design and implementation of the Deposit and Refund System, ensuring alignment with best practices and high operational efficiency. The collaboration facilitated knowledge transfer and showcased the feasibility of scaling such systems to broader contexts. The partnership also provided opportunities for mutual learning, enhancing recycling practices in Portugal while promoting Norwegian innovations in sustainability. Media coverage and stakeholder engagement activities increased the visibility of both the project and the bilateral partnership. This visibility underscored the importance of international collaboration in addressing shared environmental challenges and fostered discussions on future cooperative initiatives at regional and European levels.

Project partners

• Infinitum AS Donor project partner· Norway