The transposition of two European directives into Spanish legislation is basically what the Spanish Congress has done: the 2019 single-use plastic standard and the 2018 waste standard.

Implementation of the collection, translation and re-use system

Concerning plastics, cans and bricks, it provides for the implementation of a separate collection system and return to industry with the following objective: Separate collection of 70% of plastic bottles by 2023. Prior to the adoption of this measure, the Government requested a study from the company Tragsatec which concluded that the 6,752 tonnes of waste generated each year in the State are likely to be reused and that, if carried out through a collection, return and re-use system, the Spanish State would approach the objectives of the European Union.

The State Zero Waste Alliance has taken this measure as a "half-triumph", since it has not specified the objectives of plastic bottles that must be reused, and has also excluded glass from this reuse system.

Taxes for waste

Single-use plastics will be taxed at a rate of EUR 0.40 per kilo. Half of these plastics will need to be removed from the market by 2026 and the goal is that the weight of plastic collected by 2030 will be 70% lower than the current one.

In addition, EUR 40 will be paid for each tonne of waste that is dumped or incinerated. With this measure, the Government aims to reduce the amount of waste being dumped and to achieve the following revenues: According to data from 2021, the capital of the region would receive €861 million per year.

To make this news, we have taken as a reference the information obtained by El Salto.