Algar, Valorização e Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos S.A.

The firm Algar, Valorização e Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos S.A. was incorporated on the 20th of May 1995 under Decree-Law no. 109/95, which determines the creation of a Multi-municipal System for the Development, Design, Construction and Operation of a Process of “Selective Collection, Sorting and Treatment of Solid Waste in the Algarve”.

In order to meet these goals, a Concessionary Contract was drawn up between the Portuguese State and ALGAR. Likewise, contracts were drawn up with the Municpal Councils in the Algarve for the Delivery and Receipt of Solid Urban Waste and Selective Collection.
ALGAR is part of the firm “E.G.F. - Empresa Geral do Fomento, S.A.”, which holds 56% of the Share Capital and is the majority shareholder. The remaining 44% is held by the Algarve’s 16 Municipal Councils. The treatment and recovery of waste allows them to re-enter the production and consumption cycle. This reality gives strength and demonstrates the viability of a Circular Economy, which in practice allows to reduce the use of virgin raw materials and to foment the resources to the secondary raw materials. In Algar, energy production is a vector of innovation. All the energy produced is obtained through waste treatment and is exported to the National Electric Network. The annual potential of electricity production in Algar would be sufficient to supply a city with 25,000 inhabitants. Algar produces organic correctives in its units, from the treatment and composting of the organic fraction of waste received at its facilities. The products can be purchased at any Algar facility, subject to prior stock availability (tariff available for consultation, later on this page).

Algar also counts on the following equipments for the implementation of the actions of sensitization environmental education:

- Environmental Education Center (Albufeira): Specially aimed at the younger population, it contains an exhibition on the value chain of urban waste that is open to the public for visits. In the same place is promoted, through ludic-pedagogic activities, the learning of good environmental practices.

- Environmental Education Vehicle: A mobile unit that traverses the area of geographical coverage of the company. It is equipped with exhibition panels, interactive and various multimedia games of environmental character, which among other topics addresses the importance of "3 R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle waste".