Hotels, restaurants and cafés across Portugal are calling for changes to the Volta recycling system, saying that the current arrangements are creating additional costs, taking up valuable time and making everyday operations more complicated.
The concerns were raised by the Portuguese Hotel, Restaurant and Similar Establishments Association (AHRESP), which believes that the deposit-return system needs to be better adapted to the way businesses in the hospitality sector operate.
Speaking to ECO, AHRESP spokesperson Ana Jacinto explained that the main difficulty is not the recycling system itself, but the way it works in practice for businesses that deal with large numbers of drink containers every day.
The Volta system allows consumers and businesses to return eligible drink packaging and recover the deposit paid when purchasing the products. However, for hotels, restaurants and cafés, managing the collection and return of these containers can be particularly challenging.
One of the problems is that there are not enough Volta kiosks where businesses can return larger quantities of bottles and cans at once. For hotels, restaurants and cafés, these kiosks are much more convenient than supermarket machines, where containers often have to be returned one by one.
AHRESP believes that more kiosks should be installed in areas with a high concentration of hotels, restaurants and cafés. The association also wants their locations to be easily accessible, with opening hours that suit businesses operating throughout the day and evening.
Municipalities could have an important role in making suitable spaces available for these collection points.
Another difficulty involves the direct collection service, which allows businesses to have their used packaging collected from their premises.
Under the current arrangements, businesses must register the bags containing the packaging through a dedicated application before collection can take place.
Free collection also requires a minimum of four full bags, each with a capacity of 240 litres.
For smaller cafés and restaurants, finding enough space to store these bags can be difficult, especially when storage areas are already needed for food, equipment and other supplies.
As a result, some businesses are left with little choice but to take their packaging to supermarket collection machines. This means staff must spend time transporting containers and returning them individually, rather than focusing on their usual work.
The situation becomes even more complicated when machines are unavailable, full or out of service.
AHRESP is therefore asking for more flexible collection arrangements, including lower minimum quantities, more frequent collections and simpler registration procedures.
The association also highlighted the administrative work involved, from registering on online platforms to managing applications and dealing with technical problems.
These additional tasks can be particularly demanding for smaller businesses without dedicated administrative staff.
Businesses also have to pay a deposit when buying drinks covered by the system, which they only get back once the empty packaging is returned. If collecting or returning the bottles and cans becomes difficult, businesses may have to wait longer to get their money back.
The association has already raised these concerns with SDR Portugal, the organisation responsible for managing the Volta system, as well as the relevant government authorities.
SDR Portugal has acknowledged that improvements are still needed, particularly when it comes to finding more suitable solutions for hotels, restaurants and cafés.
The organisation has also identified the need to expand the collection network into areas where access remains limited, including busy locations such as airports and transport terminals.
For now, AHRESP is advising businesses to continue following the existing rules while choosing the collection option that best suits their circumstances.