Nearly half of the 154 Azorean villages were distinguished in the public cleaning competition which was organised by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and the Sea this year with the purpose of promoting a general removal of non-controlled waste in the archipelago.
According to the Regional Director for the Environment, the initiative “Eco Village: clean village,” which took place from January 14 to September 30, counted on the participation of 112 Village Councils, of which 71 were awarded the respective prize (flag and certificate).
On the occasion, João Bettencourt made a “very positive assessment” of this initiative and praised the “great contribution” of the participating Village Councils in the development of awareness-raising and waste removal actions.
The Regional Director added that the results of this competition demonstrate the “good environmental performance” of both citizens and the involved activities as well as the importance of an adequate waste management to ensure the well-being of populations.
Given the positive results achieved this year, João Bettencourt announced a new edition of “Eco Village: clean village” in 2011 to continue to encourage the good environmental performance of villages, through good management practices and awareness raising actions on waste.
Regarding this year’s contest, the Regional Director for the Environment announced that the prize delivery and flag hoisting ceremonies will take place simultaneously in the archipelago on December 1.
In the first edition of “Eco Villages: clean villages,” the municipalities of all Azorean islands were awarded, except the island of Graciosa, and all Village Councils on Faial (13) and Santa Maria (5) were distinguished in this competition.
Angústias, Feteira, Castelo Branco, Capelo, Praia do Norte, Cedros, Salão, Ribeirinha, Pedro Miguel, Praia do Almoxarife, Flamengos, Conceição and Matriz on the island of Faial and São Pedro, Santo Espírito, Vila do Porto, Santa Bárbara and Almagreira were the awarded Village Councils on the only islands  where all villages were distinguished under this competition.
With regard to the remaining awards, 20 were awarded to the island of São Miguel (Santa Cruz, Cabouco, Água de Pau, Achada, São Pedro Nordestinho, Remédios, Relva, São Vicente Ferreira, São Roque, Ginetes, Ribeira Quente, Remédios, Água Retorta, Povoação, Maia, São Brás, São Pedro, Ponta Garça, São Miguel and Ribeira das Tainhas), 10 on São Jorge (Calheta, Ribeira Seca, Vila do Topo, Norte Pequeno, Santo Antão, Velas, Rosais, Santo Amaro, Manadas and Norte Grande) and 10 on Pico (Criação Velha, São Mateus, Candelária, São Caetano, São João, Ribeirinha, Lajes, Piedade, Santa Luzia and Prainha).
In addition, seven prizes were awarded to the island of Terceira (Cinco Ribeiras, Feteira, São Mateus da Calheta, Porto Judeu, São Bartolomeu dos Regatos, Snat Cruz and Porto Martins), five to Flores (Ponta Delgada, Fazenda, Kajes, Mosteiro and Fajã Grande) and one to Corvo (Vila do Corvo).
With this distinction, the Government of the Azores aims acknowledge and distinguish the efforts undertaken by the awarded villages, in collaboration with the local populations, in the cleansing, removal, transportation and delivery of waste to its appropriate final destination in the public space of their village.
In the context of this competition, villages were entrusted to develop the procedures and tasks deemed necessary for the classification, removal, transportation and delivery of waste to its appropriate final destination.
The work carried out by the participating Village Councils was assessed by a jury composed by a representative of the SRAM, a representative of the respective municipality and of local non-governmental organisations in the area of environment.