The University of Coimbra launched today, on World Environment Day, the initiative “SeparaDar – Separating to Give,” whose aim is to donate the funds resulting from proper reuse of waste to institutions and social solidarity projects.
In 2025, 70,974 tonnes of waste produced by the university community were collected and valued, according to a press release, generating a financial counterpart of €7,501. This amount will now be donated in full to the Food Bank Against Hunger – Coimbra.
“SeparaDar demonstrates that environmental sustainability and social responsibility can go hand in hand,” declares Patrícia Pereira da Silva. The UC Vice-Rector for Planning, Quality and Sustainability says that “through this initiative, what results from the collective effort of the university community in the proper separation and valorization of waste becomes concrete support for those most in need, reinforcing the University of Coimbra’s commitment to creating value for society.”
The President of the Food Bank Against Hunger – Coimbra, João Paulo Craveiro, states, in turn, that “it is with the greatest satisfaction that the Food Bank Against Hunger – Coimbra welcomes the University of Coimbra’s decision to donate to us the value arising from the valorization of 70,974 tonnes of recyclable waste collected by ERSUC in 2025, amounting to €7,501.”
“This amount will be transformed into food products that will greatly contribute to alleviating the food deficiencies of citizens in need,” the official notes.
By channeling to charitable purposes the value generated by the valorization of the waste produced by the university community, “the University of Coimbra intends to show that circular economy practices can produce tangible benefits for society, turning a daily gesture – proper sorting and disposal of waste – into a contribution to support people and families in vulnerable situations,” emphasizes Patrícia Pereira da Silva.
The initiative “SeparaDar – Separating to Give” was designed to have continuity, assures the University of Coimbra, and, with it, the institution intends to support in the coming years different institutions or social projects based in the municipality of Coimbra.
