Spaniards recycled 2015 tons of packaging in 1.300.339, 3,3% more than in 2014, which represents 74,8% of the containers that we generate, which has been achieved thanks to the commitment of citizens and the efforts of administrations and companies. This is clear from the results presented yesterday, within the framework of the World Recycling Day, Ecoembes, the organization that takes care of the environment and coordinates the recycling of household packaging in Spain.
In this way, packaging is positioned as the urban waste that is most recycled in our country. Recycling figures are very high in all packaging categories. By type, those made of metal, such as soft drink or canned food cans, maintain their leadership with a rate of 83%, 8 points above the objectives established by the Circular Economy Package of the European Commission for 2025. To these, They are closely followed by paper and cardboard packaging, of which 82,9% were recycled last year and plastic packaging, of which 63,8% were recovered, both also 8 points above the challenge posed by Europe in 2025 respectively.
“We are facing an increasingly aware society that works as a team to achieve a common goal: caring for the environment. Through a model based on public-private collaboration that encompasses 46 million citizens, 8.000 municipalities and more than 12.000 companies, we have managed to achieve results in 2015 in line with the objectives set by Europe for 2020. This milestone reflects the success of a flexible model that is adapting to the needs of each region and of each moment and that brings recycling closer to the citizen and takes it to their day to day, beyond their home. We are aware of the challenges that the future poses for us, but we are going on the right path ”, assured Óscar Martín, CEO of Ecoembes.
In the framework of the circular economy, recycling saved 2015 million tons of raw materials in 1,3. Likewise, it has made it possible to reduce our impact on the natural environment in 2015 by avoiding the emission of 1,2 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
In addition, significant savings have been achieved in consumption of energy, water and raw materials. Thus, thanks to the recycling of domestic packaging last year 4,6 million MWh were saved and the expense of 24,8 million m3 of water was avoided.
In 2015, each inhabitant deposited 12,7 kg in the yellow container (plastic containers, cans and cartons) and 15,1 kg in the blue one (paper and cardboard containers).
By region, Navarrese are the ones that have contributed the most kg per inhabitant in the yellow container, reaching 20,2 kg / inhab. These are closely followed by the people of Madrid with 19,5 kg / inhab and the Basques with 17,7 kg / inhab. In the case of blue containers, the citizens who deposit the most waste in containers per inhabitant are Navarrese (38,5 kg / inhab), the Balearic Islands (31,9 kg / inhab) and Basques (31 kg / inhab) .
This has been possible thanks to the work that Ecoembes has developed together with the 8.000 municipalities with which it collaborates, with which they have managed to be closer and closer to the citizen through the network of 566.957 yellow and blue containers distributed throughout the Spanish geography (13.000 more than the previous year) and that make it possible for 99% of Spaniards to have access to the selective collection of this waste.
In addition, with the aim of raising awareness in society about environmental values and responsible consumption, 2015 communication campaigns were carried out in 400, 49 more than in 2014, as well as training courses and environmental awareness workshops aimed at all types of public, especially the little ones. For all this, and to be able to put the necessary resources to reach the recycling society each year, more than 400 million euros are invested.
Bet on innovation
"Without innovation there is no evolution", declared the CEO of Ecoembes. In 2015, 29 new lines of research were opened and different projects were launched to optimize the collection, selection and recycling of packaging waste, highlighting among them the sensorization, both of containers and vehicles, to reduce costs and emissions . Likewise, thanks to new technologies, today Spain already has 58 automated container separation plants (among the 95 that exist), which incorporate the latest technology.
Another key aspect was the launch of the Ecoembes Innova project, an initiative to promote entrepreneurship and collaborative innovation. A step forward towards a new way of innovating.
In addition, the organization continued to collaborate with companies so that recycling is present from the design of the packaging. In 2015, through Ecoembes prevention plans, companies saved 25.435 tons of raw materials thanks to the implementation of more than 3.700 ecodesign measures, which in recent years have allowed the packaging we consume today to be a 17% lighter.
