The people in Orihuela are becoming increasingly aware of the environment and this can be seen in the selective collection data with which the 2021 financial year closed. In the last year, selective waste collection has practically doubled in the 5 years since 2016, with a total of 3,723 tons.

Not only does this have implications for the environmental value, but there is also an economic value, since a forecast of direct income for the City Council from such waste is estimated at around 264,000 euros.

There is also a further saving of 128,802 euros by not taking this waste to treatment plants, therefore, between direct fertilizers and savings at the plant, Orihuela saves about 400,000 euros in treating it’s waste.

The Councilor for Street Cleaning and RSU, Dámaso Aparicio, said that the savings reinforce the actions that are also carried out by the council, such as the increase in containers. “Right now there are more than 423 specific containers of containers or the 789 of glass.

The councillor said that during 2022 they will continue with awareness campaigns and with the increase in selective collection containers. In fact, Ecoembes has already been asked to extend the agreement so that it provides more packaging and paper/cardboard containers, as well as a new contract for the new awareness campaign.

He also said that in the coming days catering establishments across the municipality will receive, details of a program to improve and strengthen the recycling habits of glass containers in the hospitality sector.

In the 2021 campaign, a total of 2,120,032 kg of glass was collected, which represents 26.9 kb per inhabitant. The number of containers for collection of glass in Orihuela is 806 green igloos, one for every 98 inhabitants.