Bistibieta landfill seeks expansion despite 2027 closure plan

The Bistibieta landfill in Lemoa, Bizkaia, is facing a potential delay to its scheduled closure due to a new expansion request. Although the Basque Government’s 2022 waste management plan aimed to close the facility by 2027, the operator, FCC Ámbito, has requested to increase the capacity of a new cell from 232,000 to 345,000 cubic meters.

This request follows a 2024 authorization that had already extended the landfill's lifespan by two and a half years. Environmental groups, including the association Azurreka, have expressed concern that these successive expansions undermine the government's commitment to the 2030 waste management roadmap and the transition toward a circular economy.