This initiative forms part of the national “Vamos Lixar o Lixo” campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the environmental importance of recycling and responsible waste disposal.

After visiting six districts across Portugal, the travelling exhibition concludes its summer tour in Portimão, where it will be open on Friday from 9am to 6pm, Saturday from 9am to 8pm, and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Interactive campaign

At the centre of the campaign is a mobile exhibition housed in the customised lorry, offering visitors a range of interactive activities. These include a quiz testing the knowledge of waste separation, a simulator that assesses sustainable consumption habits, workshops creating artwork from recycled materials and games aimed at families and children.

The roadshow also features a thought-provoking installation known as the “wall of excuses”, displaying common reasons people give for failing to separate their waste, intended to challenge visitors to rethink their habits and promote participation in recycling.

This campaign focuses particularly on the summer period, when waste production reaches its highest levels in Portugal. As reported by the APA, more than 1.8 million tonnes of urban waste were generated between June and September in 2025, with August alone accounting for over 480,000 tonnes.

Recycling practices

The agency is encouraging households and holidaymakers to continue separating recyclable materials even while away from their normal routines, stressing that increased consumption during the summer season should not result in poorer recycling practices or greater environmental impacts.

José Pimenta, President of APA, said that contrary to popular belief, summer is consistently the period when Portugal produces the highest volume of waste.

“Rubbish does not take a holiday during the summer”, he said, adding that the campaign aims to engage communities across the country in adopting more responsible waste management habits.

From Braga to Portimão, this marks the final stop of this year’s travelling exhibition, but the “Vamos Lixar o Lixo” campaign will continue until the end of 2026, with further information and updates available through its official website https://vamoslixarolixo.pt/