News / Live municipal source
Penela presses ERSUC for better recycling collections
Penela’s municipal team met ERSUC administrator José António Coelho on 19 August 2026 to press for improvements to the municipality’s recycling collection service.
The meeting, led by vice-president Luís Balão, focused on recurring problems experienced locally: too few recycling points, collections that are not sufficiently regular or punctual, and containers that are not being cleaned adequately.
ERSUC described operational pressure during the summer, including labour shortages. The company and municipality agreed to work together on short-term improvements, but the official notice does not give implementation dates or guarantee that every problem has already been resolved.
Problems raised at the meeting
The municipality asked for more ecopoints, stronger summer collection rounds and larger containers for the temporary storage of recyclable material gathered through the Peneco door-to-door service. Demand rises when Penela has more residents and visitors, making reliable collection particularly important at this time of year.
What is expected next
The two organisations say they will identify and correct service failures more quickly, reduce waste accumulating around full or poorly maintained recycling points and prepare a joint environmental-information campaign. These are stated next steps, not a published service timetable.
What residents can do now
Continue separating recyclable material correctly and do not leave rubbish or recyclables beside a full container. The municipal notice asks residents to use municipal services when help is needed; report a recurring problem with the location and useful detail rather than assuming it has already been logged.
Use the source for the final programme, booking requirements and last-minute changes.