Alonso Miguel visits Graciosa Island Waste Processing Centre after fire - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, travelled to Graciosa Island on Thursday to visit the Waste Processing Centre (CPR), following the fire that broke out on October 9 at that facility.

The main purpose of the visit was to assess the damage caused by the fire, meet with the entities responsible for managing the space, and monitor the cleaning, repair, and reactivation of operations.

During the visit, the government official highlighted “the rapid and effective response of the Santa Cruz da Graciosa volunteer firefighters, as well as the various teams present at the scene. They acted promptly to fight the flames, limiting the spread of the fire, minimising environmental impacts and contributing to the safety of people and property.”

"All available resources were mobilised to control the situation and ensure the safety of the population and the environment. The priority, immediately after extinguishing the fire, was to ensure a swift and safe recovery of the centre's operations, while also reinforcing prevention and monitoring measures, stated Alonso Miguel.

In 2012, the Graciosa Island Waste Processing Centre was awarded, through a public tender, to Equiambi, Lda., which is also responsible for managing the São Jorge Island Waste Processing Centre.

The Regional Secretary also stressed that the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action "will continue to monitor the situation closely, in coordination with the municipality of Santa Cruz da Graciosa and Equiambi, the company managing the Centre, to ensure a coordinated and effective response."

“The damage caused by the fire is currently being assessed, as well as its coverage under the insurance policies held by the concessionaire. At the same time, various actions are underway to restore waste reception and processing on the island, guaranteeing the continuity of this essential public service,” added the Regional Secretary.

Alonso Miguel explained that, with a view to restoring normal operations at CPR, Equiambi has already sent a set of equipment and technical resources to Graciosa, including a forklift, while a pressork, a rotating fork clamp and a telescopic forklift, as well as roll baling equipment, are already in the process of being transported.

"Loader services have also been commissioned, and a technician specialising in dismantling is on the island to coordinate the removal and replacement of affected structures," he added.

Meanwhile, specialised equipment for cutting and dismantling the damaged structures has already arrived on Graciosa, allowing the necessary work to be carried out to restore the space.

The Regional Secretary recalled that the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action launched an international public tender in February 2025, amounting to three million Euros, to modernise waste recycling and processing on several islands, which will equip the Graciosa CPR with a new mixed sorting line for unsorted waste (TMB) and selective collection.

Alonso Miguel revealed that "this investment, amounting to around €800,000, provides for the installation of new equipment at the Graciosa CPR in the first half of 2026, ensuring better operating conditions, greater efficiency and safety at work, and increased waste recovery."

According to the government official, the new sorting line will include various pieces of equipment, such as a feed dosing bunker, a conveyor belt for receiving and feeding the pre-sorting table, a conveyor belt for the pre-sorting table, a conveyor belt for feeding the rotary screen, rotary screen, conveyor belt for receiving and feeding the sorting table, conveyor belt for the sorting table and platform, conveyor belt for feeding the baling press, and baling press.

Alonso Miguel concluded by stating that, "with these immediate and structural measures, the Regional Government and the concessionaire Equiambi are not only ensuring the restoration of normal operations at the Graciosa Island Waste Processing Centre, but also ensuring its modernisation. This reinforces the commitment to environmental protection, operational safety and efficient waste management."