Ferreira, CéliaFernandes, Diogo BugarimAlcalde, Diego del OroValente, SusanaJacquinet, MarcSousa, VitorVaz, João2025-12-112025-12-112025-11http://hdl.handle.net/10400.2/20532“Food waste separate collection in Portugal. Building a stronger and more coherent framework” is the Policy Brief of the S4P REC-SEL Project. It is based on the work carried out during the project and is part of Task 7 “Proposal for standards and incentives using future prospective.” The objective of the Task is to proactively anticipate a future with separate collection of food waste combined with economic incentives (e.g., PAYT tariff) and to propose standards and recommendations for better public policies based on the study carried out. Bio-waste management has become a key issue in the EU's plans of circular economy. Although the transposition of Directive (EU) 2018/851 has been completed, the efforts for field implementation of the separate collection of bio-waste are still ongoing. The S4P REC-SEL Project gathered information on initiatives through surveys to Portuguese municipalities and secondary research from various official sources. About half of the municipalities (152) have some kind of food waste collection initiative. The municipalities that do so are mainly located on the coast and in the south. The 196 implemented initiatives have different characteristics in terms of the sectors covered (domestic, non-domestic, or both) and the collection model (door-to-door, nearby bringpoints, or co-collection). The initiatives are still, in most cases, at an early stage, with little data available on efficiency and effectiveness. The various combinations of these characteristics result in six standard approaches. In terms of performance, the door-to-door model is capturing more food waste, but the system that requires the least investment is co-collection. In terms of financial incentives, 7% of Portuguese municipalities use them. The main constraints identified include: i) lack of coordination between key actors; ii) difficulty in the practical application of laws and technical standards; iii) insufficient capacity at the municipal level to deal with the technical complexity of the sector; iv) scarcity of data on the efficiency and effectiveness of collection initiatives; v) resistance to the application of financial incentives; vi) lack of investment in national information campaigns; vii) weak enforcement and accountability; and viii) insufficient focus on waste reduction and innovative social solutions. Recommendations for addressing these constraints and strengthening public policies include: i) strengthening coordination between entities (local, regional, and national); ii) monitoring and evaluating the initiatives; iii) improving reporting of information; iv) promoting the application of fair and incentivizing tariffs; v) communicating effectively and regularly, legislating more clearly and coherently with the reality on the ground; and vi) training and strengthening human resources.engreport10.34627/w7h0-sr41