Where to dispose of medicines and their packaging?
10/12/2024
In the medicine cabinet, there are always those that end up not being used in their entirety, or whose expiration date has already passed. And
Locating the nearest recycling bin and offering an optimized experience for blind and visually impaired people are some of WasteApp’s new features.
The mobile application WasteApp has been updated to help simplify the recycling of different types of waste. With the introduction of new features, this app facilitates access to information and mobilizes citizens to separate packaging, contributing to a circular economy.
The app was launched by Quercus in 2019 as an information platform about the destinations of various types of waste and the spaces or equipment available for their disposal.
Now, thanks to a partnership with Sociedade Ponto Verde, WasteApp shows all the collection points on an interactive map, indicates where each container should be deposited and locates those closest to the user.
“The amount of waste produced and the fact that a significant part of what is recyclable is still sent to landfill or incineration is leading to the need to further these solutions,” points out Alexandra Azevedo, President of Quercus.
The app also makes it possible to add new recycling bins that are not identified, evaluate the containers, check if the user’s location is covered by the door-to-door collection system and evaluate the recycling experience, through a new reporting feature on the quality of the service provided by the operators.
The new version is available in Portuguese and English, making it easier for tourists and foreigners to learn the rules for separating waste, which, as there are more and more of them, pose challenges for municipalities’ waste management capacity. WasteApp 2.0 is also more inclusive, having been optimized for the color blind and visually impaired.
“Convenience is a key factor in increasing packaging recycling rates. WasteApp responds to this challenge in a practical and fast way and users can have their sorting questions answered, find out where the nearest recycling bin is and evaluate the experience in that bin,” says Ricardo Sacoto Lagoa, Marketing and Communication Coordinator at Sociedade Ponto Verde.
WasteApp can be used via the internet or the app (available for both Android and iOS), starting by answering the initial question “what do you want to throw away?”.
Through the app, users contribute to improving the selective collection service at ecopoints, which is the responsibility of municipalities and multi-municipal companies.
“Better recycling habits and eco-intelligent consumption are essential for reducing the volume of waste produced and allowing landfills to maintain their capacity for longer, which is a fundamental condition for minimizing environmental impacts and risks to public health. Our partners are key to achieving these goals and this new version is the result of that joint effort. With the support of Sociedade Ponto Verde, the Vodafone Foundation, ERSAR and our technological partner, Next Reality, WasteApp has evolved into a more robust tool, with new features that we believe will make a difference in improving the service provided to the population,” says Alexandra Azevedo.
She could have studied Meteorology and Oceanography but ended up going for Communication. And that's fine because if they don't get their weather predictions right, she wouldn't be the one to change that. She started by looking for sustainable ideas and projects for her university, and since then, she has never stopped (who stops, really?). She loves to watch tv shows, but she watches few because she is demanding. You don't need much to convince her to embrace new, "greener" habits and challenges.
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Português (Portuguese (Portugal))
