Europe has decided to promote the circular economy in Spain through an ambitious recycling plan, which proposes the fulfilment of a series of actions between 2025 and 2035. The aim is to bring numerous benefits for the environment and human health, working more seriously on waste management. In the following article we tell you what actions will be taken and what deadlines have been set by the European Parliament to achieve them. Continue reading!

The plan envisages that at least 55% of municipal waste, from households and businesses, should be recycled by 2025. This target will rise to 65% by 2030 and 65% by 2035. For packaging the figures are higher, with 65% of packaging to be recycled by 2025 and 70% by 2030. Separate deadlines are also envisaged for other materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics and wood.

This initiative represents a challenge for Spain, and a change in mentality, as currently, at national level, out of 443 kilos of waste per person per year, only around 29.7% is recycled, while the vast majority of waste goes to landfill (56.7%) and the rest is incinerated (13.6%). In this respect, the draft law limits the proportion of waste that can be landfilled to only 10%. It is this aspect that raises some uncertainty, however, if Spain does not follow what has been agreed it will face consequences from the EU.

These deadlines aim to make the circular economy go from being a myth to a reality, where products, materials and resources are kept in the economy for as long as possible so that improvements can be perceived both environmentally and in health areas.