Vega Baja, 17 February 2026 — The Consorcio Vega Baja Sostenible has overhauled operations at the Planta de Transferencia de Dolores, introducing extended opening hours and a detailed scheduling and contingency protocol following complaints from municipalities over long queues and collection delays.
The initiative aims to improve operational efficiency and prevent congestion at the facility, which serves major towns such as Torrevieja, Orihuela, and Pilar de la Horadada. Around 160,000 tonnes of municipal waste pass through the Dolores plant each year, out of an estimated 200,000 tonnes generated across the 27 municipalities of the comarca.
Under the new system, each municipality is assigned a specific time window for unloading, with schedules adjusted for high and low seasons. This approach is intended to reduce waiting times, avoid peak-hour bottlenecks, and ensure that collection vehicles can return promptly to their regular routes.
Consortium president Francisco Cano said the protocol regulates entry flows according to the volume of waste each municipality generates, helping to prevent operational collapse during busy periods. The system also includes a delay-management plan and contingency measures to address potential issues at downstream treatment plants.
The Dolores plant, located in the Los Azarbes industrial estate, is a logistical hub rather than a treatment facility. Waste from municipal trucks is transferred into large mobile-floor vehicles for onward transport to around a dozen authorised treatment plants across the Valencian Community, Region of Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Andalusia. The plant has no storage pit, meaning waste cannot be stockpiled, making careful scheduling crucial to avoid truck congestion.
With these measures, the consortium hopes to optimise the flow of waste from 420,000 residents, prevent delays, and maintain smooth operations across the network, while responding directly to municipal concerns about service efficiency.
