Valorlis rewards schools with the best environmental performance

Valorlis awarded the Lugar dos Príncipes Nursery and Kindergarten for its excellent performance in the Ecovalor Programme. At the award ceremony, the institution was also treated to a staged reading of the story ‘Piu e o Planeta’ by writer and illustrator Tânia Bailão Lopes, who enchanted the children with her performance on environmental awareness and caring for the planet.

Schools that separated the most kilograms of waste per pupil were also recognised, namely: Jardim de Infância de Assanha da Paz (Pombal) - 368.92 kg/pupil; Jardim-de-infância de Mendiga (Porto de Mós) - 314.70 kg/pupil.

The Valorlis awards were given as part of the Ecovalor Programme, in which schools were challenged during the 2024/2025 school year to promote the collection of recyclable household waste, namely plastic and metal packaging and/or paper/cardboard and/or glass, which was collected by Valorlis and subsequently sent for recycling.

A total of 103 educational establishments participated in the Ecovalor Programme for the 2024/2025 academic year, with more than 25,986 participants, including students, families, teachers and assistants, who continued to implement good waste separation practices and sent 415.401 tonnes of recyclable waste, 186.446 tonnes of paper/cardboard, 113.430 tonnes of plastic/metal and 115.525 tonnes of glass for recycling.

For their excellent environmental performance, the participating schools were awarded more than €12,000 to purchase educational materials, goods or services to improve teaching practices.

‘This programme aims to increase recycling habits in schools and the surrounding community, promoting the daily practice of separating recyclable waste,’ explains Marta Guerreiro, Executive Director of Valorlis, adding ‘In the past school year, we saw an increase in the quantities separated in the school community, particularly in the collection of glass, where families proved to be very enthusiastic about recycling.’

The “Recycle and Win” competition will continue this school year and schools can register at www.valorlis.pt.

The Ecovalor programme is an environmental education and awareness programme aimed at school communities. Its goal is to increase the amount of material sent for recycling and promote good environmental practices by rewarding those who perform best in separating their used packaging. It is part of Valorlis' environmental education offering, which includes informational materials on recycling and awareness-raising activities on the waste cycle.