Portuguese urban waste efforts off target

Portugal increased the national rate of separate collection of urban packaging waste by 20 percentage points in 2007 but is still forecast to miss EU-set recycling targets by the December 2011 deadline, the Portuguese environment agency reported on Friday.

Recycling rates for paper, plastic and metal packaging waste and landfill diversion rates all fell below 2007 objectives, the agency said.  Rui Berkemeier of green group Quercus said making door-to-door waste collection obligatory would significantly increase separate collection and recycling rates.