Abreu advises on creation of APERA
Abreu Advogados has advised on the creation of APERA – the 1st association of non-hazardous waste companies
Abreu Advogados has advised on the creation of the Portuguese Association of Waste and Environment Companies (APERA), which brings together the main operators of non-hazardous waste management, with a total of 14 founding members. It seeks to raise awareness of the main challenges that exist in the sector over the past few years. The new association aims to raise awareness of the Government and society of the strategic importance of non-hazardous waste landfills in national sustainability and economy.
The Association will allow the creation of synergies between companies in the sector for a joint action to promote good practices and find solutions for the different obstacles identified, such as, for example: the existing technical obstacles to the operation of non-hazardous waste landfills ; the technical confusion that still prevails between non-hazardous waste and hazardous waste operators and a set of regulatory solutions that have hampered the sector’s activity, including the standard, considered illegal by APERA, which provides for the extension to waste landfills specific admissibility requirements in relation to waste limit values that have hitherto only been applicable to hazardous waste non-hazardous; as well as the recent limitations to the internationalisation of companies in this sector.
“APERA was born from the sector’s desire to have an association that brings together all operators, who can defend their interests and promote greater public discussion and reflection on issues involving the management of non-hazardous waste. In this regard, we have been in contact with the Government and with the Portuguese Environmental Association so that some normative issues, and beyond that can be corrected, which have been conditioning the activity of our members and, ultimately, the competitiveness of the sector. environment, with serious consequences for the economy”, said Carlos Conceição, director of the NOV GROUP and president of APERA.
Abreu accompanied the formal constitution of the association through a team led by José Eduardo Martins (pictured left), partner and coordinator of the Public Law and Environment area, which included Ricardo Branco (pictured top right), consultant and Raquel Barroso (pictured bottom right), associate.
“At Abreu Advogados we have been advising and accompanying the waste management sector and its companies for many years, which is why it is with great pride that we directly followed the creation of APERA. This is an important step in a sector that avoids, for example, the abandonment of waste produced on a large scale by the large industry and commerce, being, therefore, fundamental not only for the national economy but mainly for environmental sustainability”, said José Eduardo Martins, partner at Abreu Advogados.
APERA’s management is chaired by Carlos Conceição (GRUPO NOV), with Rui Pedro Santos (GRUPO SUMA) and treasurer Vanessa Segurado (GRUPO BLUEOTTER) as vice-president. Tiago Borges (GRUPO FERROVIAL) is the chairman of the General Assembly and Marco Marques (GRUPO SEMURAL) is chairman of the Supervisory Board.
