The Circular Economy in Matosinhos, Portugal

Building on a longstanding commitment to waste prevention and food waste reduction since the early 2000s, the city of Matosinhos is continuing to advance sustainable waste management, achieving nearly zero landfill diversion and high energy recovery from waste. The city is gradually moving from waste management to the circular economy, guided by its 2025 Circular Economy Action Plan. The plan identifies food and bio-waste, consumer goods, and construction as key value chains for circular transformation. This scan examines the governance challenges hindering progress on the circular economy, including a lack of policy coherence, insufficient monitoring frameworks, and a narrow focus on waste management. It also provides recommendations to accelerate the circular transition, based on the OECD 3Ps framework: People and Firms, Policies, and Places.