Spain Passes Waste Recycling Act

Published: January 22, 2013

MADRID, SPAIN | ASPAPEL (the Spanish Assn. of Pulp and Paper Mfrs.) reports large retail outlets, banks, hotel chains, service companies, town councils, and more are now able to legally demand that their recyclable waste materials be recycled in Europe, according to the new Spanish Waste Act, which was passed November, 29, 2012.

According to David Barrio, director of recycling at ASPAPEL, “This new legislation upholds the legality of Recycling ‘Made in Europe’ and gives Spanish generators of recyclable waste materials powers to decide on the final destination of their waste.”

The 2011 Waste Act was the first bill in Spanish law to introduce the possibility of town councils giving priority to recycling within the European Union. Now, with the recently passed Law on urgent measures concerning environmental matters, which amends the previous Waste Act, the possibility of applying recycling in proximity and circular economy is extended to all producers or initial holders of recyclable waste.

As Barrio explains, “Thanks to proximity recycling, the European recycling society turns the six tonnes of waste that each European citizen produces in a year into an opportunity to create wealth and green employment in Europe, in a sustainable, efficient, and environmentally responsible manner, thereby giving value to the significant efforts made across Europe in recent years in terms of waste recovery.”

By developing a European Recycling Society through measures such as this new Spanish law, the EU estimates that more than 400,000 jobs could be created in Europe between now and 2020.

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