But according to figures published last night by the Portuguese Environment Agency, it was in the Algarve where the greatest amount of waste per capita was generated, which was almost double the national average with 744 kilograms per inhabitant.

Overall, the agency found that the amount of waste produced in Portugal fell by almost a million tons in the space of four years, but that rubbish recycled prior to collection had fallen by two percent to 13 percent of the total.