Gandia and Neuquén launch neighborhood competitions to promote recycling and cleanliness

The city of Gandia, Spain, has introduced the ‘Competición entre Barrios’ (Competition between Neighborhoods) in collaboration with Ecovidrio and the local City Council. Running from October 29 to November 21, the initiative aims to increase glass recycling rates compared to the previous year. Neighborhoods will earn points by sharing campaign materials via QR codes on social media and messaging platforms. The winning neighborhood will receive a community reward consisting of a scavenger hunt and a 90-minute concert.

In Neuquén, Mayor Mariano Gaido has announced the ‘Mi barrio más limpio’ (My Cleanest Neighborhood) challenge. Starting November 1, 2026, the twelve-month program will reward the cleanest neighborhoods monthly to combat the creation of illegal micro-dumps. While twelve neighborhoods will be recognized, the winner that maintains the highest standards of cleanliness throughout the year will receive a major prize: tripling their participatory budget.