The recycling of packaging has grown again, as indicated by the data for 2013 presented by Ecoembes, the organization that takes care of the environment through recycling and eco-design of packaging in our country. During the past year, in Spain 1.195.002 tons of packaging have been recycled, which means that 71,9% of domestic packaging destined for the yellow and blue container is already being recycled.
This percentage places us among the first countries in Europe in this matter, exceeding the recycling targets set by the European Union by more than 17 points (55%). By type of materials, 56,6% of plastic packaging, 81,9% of cardboard and paper packaging and 84,5% of metal packaging were recycled.
The collaboration of citizens, companies and public administrations, together with the work of Ecoembes, is what has made it possible to recycle 14 million tons of packaging in the last 16 years. This has led to numerous environmental benefits, such as avoiding the emission of 13,8 million tons of CO2, which is equivalent to removing 4,9 million cars from circulation; an energy saving of 15,8 million MwH, which is equivalent to the consumption of all households in the city of Barcelona; and the expense of 375 million cubic meters of water has been avoided, which is the volume equivalent to the water consumption of the population of the Community of Madrid.
Likewise, the recycling of containers has contributed to generating employment and industrial fabric in our country. According to a study carried out by professors from the Carlos III University of Madrid, the activity of Ecoembes has generated 42.600 jobs in Spain, 9.400 of them directly. In addition, for every euro that the organization invests, it generates an activity in the Spanish economy valued at 2,8 euros.
