CIR - Waste Information Centre
The Portuguese NGO Quercus (National Nature Conservation Association) has gradually come to assume sustainable waste management as one of its priority areas of intervention. Long-term experience in this area has shown that currently one of the principal setbacks is the lack of access to and availability of information, within a reasonable request – response timeframe.
In order to respond to this growing necessity from society and inline with the principals that have, from the beginning, formed the basis of the Quercus strategy on waste management – Reduction, Reuse and Recycling – the Waste Information Centre (CIR) project was formed.
The CIR can be found, for the moment, at the Centro Associativo do Calhau, on the edge of the Parque Florestal de Monsanto in Lisbon.
CIR´s first objective is to collect, organise and make available information on waste and its management. It is also committed to the initiation and elaboration of projects dealing with awareness raising and education and the critical follow-up of existing initiatives related to sustainable waste management.
Creation of a Document Centre to hold the most relevant publications in waste management, information on legislation – national and EU and important works of reference, etc.
Collection and organisation of information on issues, projects and initiatives in the areas of reduction, reuse and recycling of waste in Portugal and other countries (with special emphasis on Europe).
Extension of educational and awareness raising efforts towards the educational, business, local government and media sector.
Organisation of technical seminars on a national and international level.
Elaboration of reference studies and projects concerned with the characterisation and monitoring / follow-up of certain national situations and issues related to waste management.
Establishment of partnerships and protocols of collaboration in order to promote the exchange of and update of information available in general and the development of projects in specific.
Production of periodic and non-periodic publications
Straightforward follow-up/monitoring of projects and initiatives in waste management.
People and institutions linked to Education (teachers and students at all levels of education)
Public administration (local, regional and national9
Industrial and Business Associations
Other associations and interest groups
Journalists
Citizens and Specialists
Because of the thematic diversity associated with waste management and the continuous scientific and technological evolution they are subject to, the establishment of protocols and partnerships with public and private entities is one of the fulcral points of success of this project. With this in mind there have been protocols established with the following organisations:
Sociedade Ponte Verde (Green Point Society)
Empresa Geral de Fomento
Instituto Nacional de Intervenção e Garantia Agrícola
Instituto dos Resíduos (Institute of Waste)
Sistemas Multimunipiais de Gestão de RSU ( Multi-Municipal USW Management Systems)
companies of management of wastes
1. Urban Solid waste
General - Reduction, Reuse and Recycling
Specific - Organic Wastes
- Packaging
- Batteries
- Landfills
- Incineration
2. Industrial wastes
3. Hospital wastes
4. Agricultural wastes
Quercus – CIR, Apartado 4333, 1503-003 Lisboa. Portugal.
Tl.: + 351 1 778 84 73 Fx. + 351 1 778 77 49