The Orihuela City Council has launched a major upgrade to its urban waste collection service by introducing four brand-new garbage trucks dedicated to Orihuela Costa. This marks the end of years of reliance on an outdated fleet plagued by frequent breakdowns. The initial phase, valued at €1,279,333 and fully funded by municipal resources, includes two rear-loading (18 m³) and two side-loading (26 m³) compacting trucks. A fifth vehicle will join the fleet next week once registration is completed.
These vehicles will significantly enhance waste management in Orihuela Costa—home to the municipality’s highest volume of waste, especially during the summer. In peak season, all five trucks will operate along the coast, while in the off-season, three will remain in the area and two will be reassigned to support rural districts, allowing for seasonal flexibility.
The trucks, supplied by Equipos Femazz, S.L., include modern GPS tracking systems to improve route planning and efficiency. The company completed delivery within eight months.
Mayor Pepe Vegara emphasized the urgent need for this renewal: “Our old fleet was outdated and unreliable, leading to frequent delays and a decline in service quality. This investment answers long-standing demands from residents and staff for a modern, safe, and efficient fleet.”
Rocío Ortuño, Councillor for Urban Waste, added that the new vehicles not only improve collection capacity and reduce service times but also provide better working conditions for operators—something she described as a top priority. “In summer, Orihuela Costa’s population triples, as with many coastal towns. This requires an enormous effort in waste management. The City Council is doing its part, but community cooperation is essential.”
Ortuño also stressed the importance of civic responsibility, reminding residents to follow waste disposal rules: “Respecting collection times and locations, and avoiding illegal dumping, is critical. Otherwise, cleanup costs increase for everyone. We all want a cleaner Orihuela, and that takes everyone’s involvement.”
Acquiring the new fleet required careful technical and administrative planning—from drafting tender documents to final procurement—ensuring transparency and value for money.
More Control, Better Service
The new trucks are equipped with next-generation compaction systems and GPS technology to streamline operations and improve oversight. They also come with a two-year warranty to ensure reliability during the crucial early stages of deployment.
This initiative complements the recent renewal and expansion of Orihuela’s 1,643 waste containers, an €800,000 project that has boosted collection capacity across the city centre, rural districts, and coastal areas.
In the coming weeks, the Council plans to acquire six smaller waste collection vehicles—currently in the bidding process—through an additional investment of nearly €300,000. These moves form part of a broader strategy to modernise Orihuela’s waste management and provide cleaner, more efficient public services.
