Valorfito: Portugal collects record amount of used agrochemical packaging

Portugal recorded the collection of 512 tons of used agrochemical packaging in 2021, according to data revealed at an event exclusively covered of AgroPages and promoted by Valorfito, the country’s “Integrated Management System for Packaging and Waste in Agriculture.”

Valorfito carries out the periodic collection of waste from the primary packaging of agrochemical products and its final management in Portugal. Last year, an average of 51.7% of packaging was collected around the country, and all plastic materials were sent for recycling.

In an exclusive interview with AgroPages, the director-general of Valorfito, António Lopes Dias, revealed that the program's goal for this year, 2022, is to exceed 60% of packages collected, adding more than 173 companies are adhering to the system that guarantees and pays the costs.

“Our system is based on 'return points,’ which are 1,107, throughout Portuguese territory. These are places that sell agrochemicals but also provide special bags where farmers return used packaging,” he explained.

According to him, Valorfito works with local entities for the reverse logistics of collecting these bags and sending them for recycling or incineration. “Most of the packaging we collect are made of rigid plastic, which can be treated, shredded, and recycled. The cardboard and metal parts are also recycled,” he said.

“The only thing that is not recyclable are composite materials, such as flexible bags, which are incinerated, but with energy recovery, which always guarantees added value at the end of the chain. Valorfito avoided the release of 753 tons of CO3 (carbon trioxide) into the atmosphere, highlighting its sustainability role,” he added.

António Lopes Dias explained that this is a private, non-profit initiative, maintained by industries and input distributors. Valorfito is supported by Portuguese organizations Anipla (National Industry Association for Plant Protection) and Groquifar (Association of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Wholesalers).

According to Lopes Dias, “Valorfito has been operating for 16 years. Currently, the adhesion of producers is very good, especially among the most professional ones,” adding that in Portugal, there are still many “small producers of advanced age,” and it is these rural properties that need to be reached “for the system to grow. But it is all a matter of time, communication, and education.”

Another objective of Valorfito is to expand the collection of seed packaging and fertilizer products, and those responsible must also work with Portuguese authorities so the packages are no longer considered “dangerous” to health after the triple washing process, which is already applied to collected materials, he added.

Felisbela Torres Campos

Felisbela Torres Campos, president of Anipla, said the “circular economy has had great positive impacts on agriculture, making the sector one of the most advanced.” Campos, who is also Head of Regulatory & Business Sustainability at Syngenta Portugal, argues that awarding prizes to those who stand out the most is essential to encouraging participation in Valorfito.

Manuela Cordeiro

At the same event, the Valorfito 2021 Awards were distributed to companies that stood out in the collection of packaging last year in their respective regions. In the opinion of Manuela Cordeiro, executive secretary of Groquifar’s Agrochemical and Pest Management and Environmental Health Divisions, these companies are “irrefutable proof of their commitment to sustainability, moving from words to actions for a safer environment.”

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)