Alicante Leads Valencian Community's Push Towards a Circular Economy with Innovative Waste Management
Alicante and the Valencian Community advance circular economy efforts through innovative waste fees, smart recycling containers, and sustainable agricultural startups.
- • Valencian Community fully assumes waste tax, enhancing autonomy and investment capacity.
- • Alicante’s innovative PAYT waste fee system incentivizes recycling via smart containers linked to an app.
- • Startup PersiSKIN develops sustainable materials from surplus persimmons for the automotive sector.
- • Challenges include incomplete implementation of PAYT rates and partial recovery of waste management costs.
Key details
The Valencian Community is accelerating its transition to a circular economy, with Alicante pioneering new urban waste management solutions. According to the Cotec 2025 report 'Situation and Evolution of the Circular Economy,' local management is crucial for successful change. Alicante has adopted a novel fiscal system that combines collection and treatment fees based on actual waste generated, incentivizing recycling through smart organic waste containers linked to the 'Tú haces Alicante' app. This PAYT (pay as you throw) approach offers users discounts for proper waste disposal, marking a significant shift from traditional fixed waste fees.
The Valencian Community has fully taken over the waste landfill and incineration tax, increasing regional autonomy and responsibility for reducing waste and investing in valorization infrastructure. Despite these advances, challenges remain, as not all municipalities have developed the required PAYT rates, hindered by a lack of detailed accounting and control systems. Additionally, local waste rates rose by 26.5% in 2024, yet only 54.7% of real management costs are covered.
Innovation extends beyond urban waste; the Valencian startup PersiSKIN has created sustainable automotive materials from surplus persimmons, partnering with industrial firm Antolin and creating value for local agriculture. Overall, Alicante exemplifies how strategic investment, digital tools, and fiscal reform can drive Spain's transition to a more sustainable and efficient circular economy.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.