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Circular economy and waste management initiatives

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2026-10-14 08:08 UTC → 2026-10-26 12:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Efforts to advance circular economy principles and waste management have expanded from educational outreach to legislative and technological implementation. In Spain, progress includes the finalization of a national Deposit, Return, and Refund System ~~(SDDR) and the~~ (SDDR), scheduled for implementation by November 2026 to address recycling rates that reached only 41.3% for plastic bottles in 2023. The emergence of chemical recycling ~~projects. The business association Circularis continues to advocate for the massive investments required to meet EU mandates,~~ and large-scale industrial projects, such as ~~reducing landfill use to below 10% by 2035.~~ a 162 million euro waste valorization plant in Zaragoza and Atlantic Copper’s 550 million euro metal recovery facility in Huelva, further supports these goals. Recent industry reports highlight a growing imbalance in the plastic recycling sector. During the 5th National Plastic Recycling Congress, Anarpla President David Eslava noted that while Spain holds an installed capacity of approximately 2.4 million tons—18% of the European total—the industry faces a shortage of high-quality raw materials. In 2025, gross recycling reached 1.67 million tons, leaving a gap of over 800,000 tons compared to potential capacity. Experts warn this deficit could reach 900,000 tons by 2028 if selective collection does not improve. To address landfill reduction targets, the association AEVERSU has proposed doubling Spain’s energy recovery capacity, with secretary general Belén Vázquez-Quevedo calling for the suspension of taxes on energy ~~recovery~~ recovery. The newly formed business association Circularis, comprising Urbaser, FCCenviro, PreZero, and Valoriza, has stated that Spain requires investments exceeding 12 billion euros to ~~facilitate thermal processes for non-recyclable waste.~~ meet EU mandates, such as reducing landfill use to below 10% by 2035. While national reforms are pending, some regions are ahead of schedule; the Balearic Islands have already achieved a landfill rate of 6.01%, meeting the 2035 target ~~of 10%~~ nearly a decade early. Other territories, including Catalonia, the Basque Country, the Valencian Community, and Navarra, are also well-positioned to meet future goals. Industrial and construction sectors are increasingly integrating circularity through resource efficiency and material recovery. In Galicia, companies like Grupo J. Rilo are focusing on waste valorization in construction, while Grupo Gestán reported managing over 318,000 tons of waste in 2025 with an 82% recovery rate, specifically increasing production of recycled aggregates.

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