Braga creates a Bank of Goods and Equipment

It serves a dual purpose – waste reduction and material support for those in need

Yesterday, the city website of Braga reported the creation of a Bank of Goods and Equipment as a joint initiative between BragaHabit, the Municipality and the AGERE municipal company. The facility has the noble and pragmatic aims to help those most in need acquire necessary objects for free while also fostering the circular economy goals of the local administration. The latter are defined by the four R’s: reduction, reuse, recovery and recycling of materials.

2 in 1: Social and environmental responsibility

Individuals or households who are enrolled in BragaHabit's housing support programs can access the allocation of goods and equipment and interested parties must express their needs to the municipal company. Social Solidarity Institutions and Residents' Associations based in Braga, whose scope of action coincides, totally or partially, with the purpose and attributions of BragaHabit, can also benefit from the Goods and Equipment Bank.

The Bank will consist of furniture and household objects, electrical and electronic equipment and technical aid equipment such as articulated beds, wheelchairs, toilet chairs, walkers, canes, and tripods, among others.

The process of allocating goods and equipment requires registration in BragaHabit's services, through a specific form, and the registered households become part of a waiting list that is managed according to the date of the respective request. The inclusion in this list depends on the non-existence of debts or other irregular situations before BragaHabit and the Municipality of Braga.

Environmental sustainability is another aim of this project and, according to the administrator of AGERE, the Bank of Goods and Equipment has given an impetus to reuse. Rui Morais explained that the growing production of goods “has a huge impact on the environment” and this project will contribute to reducing the process of transforming materials.

“AGERE has focused on raising the population's awareness of the issue of reuse and this project is another one that is part of our sustainability policy in order to achieve our goals at an environmental level”, he said.