Waste - State and impacts (Spain)

SOER 2010 Common environmental theme (Deprecated)

Topics: Resource efficiency and waste

This page was archived on 21 Mar 2015 with reason: A new version has been published

SOER Common environmental theme from Spain

Topic: Waste

Published: 26 Nov 2010 Modified: 11 May 2020

Generation of waste in Spain has increased in parallel with economic growth, as as in other European countries. In recent years, government, economic sectors and society have become more aware of the issue, waste treatment infrastructure has increased, and a solid business sector specialising in waste management has emerged.

A high percentage of the waste generated in Spain is still disposed of in landfill sites. In this regard, work is under way to reduce waste generation, encourage re-use, implement separate collection of differentiated waste, and decrease the amount of waste disposed of in landfill sites.

Management of household waste is the responsibility of local authorities and is performed to guidelines by the regional governments of Spain's autonomous communities. The challenge facing government is to implement efficient and effective management models that ensure compliance with the legal obligations and aims of the entire range of regional, national and community waste legislation.

As the data below show, urban waste generation increased moderately over the three years listed in the table (though in 2007 the year-on-year volume did decrease slightly). Separate collection only accounts for 15 % of the total, while collection of mixed waste makes up the remaining 85 %.

Practically all of Spain's population has access to separate collection systems, at least for glass, paper/cardboard and lightweight packaging.

The amount of household waste (paper/cardboard, glass, lightweight packaging and organic matter) recycled has risen in recent years. Nonetheless, despite efforts to increase the volume of separately collected waste, mixed waste still accounts for the majority.

A large proportion of mixed waste is processed in urban waste treatment plants, which separate recyclable matter and consign the rest to disposal in landfill sites or incineration. Taking into account that in 2008, approximately 24 million tonnes of waste were produced in Spain, the amount disposed of in landfill sites remains very high.

Composting is the most widely used treatment option for organic matter, though the compost obtained often fails to meet the required quality parameters. Therefore, increasing separate collection of organic matter to favour production of high-quality compost is a priority.

In recent years, Spain has increased its capacity to recover energy from waste incineration. The country currently incinerates around 2 million tonnes of urban waste and the energy value is recovered from the entire amount.

According to data compiled by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE), Spanish industry generated 49.9 million tonnes of waste in 2008 (13.9 % less than the previous year). Manufacturing industry generated 19.4 million tonnes, mining and quarrying 25.7 million and energy generation accounted for the remaining 4.9 million tonnes.

Over the period 2000–2008, waste generation by Spain's industrial sector decreased by 22.6 %.

The Integrated National Waste Plan 2008-2015 (PNIR in Spanish), provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation in waste generation and offers a wealth of information that complements the previous with other waste categories, such as vehicles at the end of its useful life, waste electrical and electronic, construction and demolition waste, etc.

The impact on the natural environment and human health and well-being in Spain are mainly the result of inappropriate waste management. To prevent it, authorities have implemented a large number of control, inspection and monitoring programmes in recent years and these actions are improving the situation. In this regard, it is worth highlighting the work done by the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA). A plan to eradicate illegal landfill sites is also being implemented in partnership with regional governments and, as a result, a significant number of these disposal sites have been closed.

Waste treatment and disposal operations also have an effect on the natural environment and human health if they are not performed correctly, and the impact varies according to the type of operation performed. To prevent these effects, Spain's regional governments, as the competent authorities, place particular emphasis on monitoring treatment facilities and inspecting them to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements before granting authorisation.

One of the impacts of most concern is emission of GHGs, principally CH₄from landfill sites and CO₂ from incineration.

Waste composition determines how different types of waste perform as regards GHG emissions and, as a consequence, the reduction measures proposed also differ. The aim therefore should be to reduce activities that generate emissions, encourage those that capture carbon and investigate ways of reducing emissions associated with waste transport and treatment.

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