Asturias and Murcia Advance Circular Economy with Innovative Waste Management Technologies
Asturias and Murcia implement advanced digital and thermal technologies to boost circular economy practices through improved waste and sludge management.
- • Cogersa invested €2.27 million in digitalizing waste management in Asturias, co-financed by the EU Recovery and Resilience Mechanism.
- • Asturias projects include real-time waste monitoring and a digital platform for municipal waste data transparency.
- • Murcia launched a thermal drying pilot at Alcantarilla plant reducing sludge volume by 95% and pathogen elimination by 99%.
- • Murcia’s drying system advances sustainable sludge management and explores reuse as fertilizer or biofuel.
Key details
Asturias and Murcia are spearheading significant technological initiatives to enhance the circular economy through improved waste management and resource efficiency. In Asturias, Cogersa, the Company for the Management of Solid Waste, has invested €2.27 million in digitalization projects to modernize waste handling as part of its circular economy strategy. The investment, co-financed by the European Union's Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, includes deploying software and devices at clean points to enable real-time monitoring of waste contributions by citizens and businesses. Additionally, €407,755 has been dedicated to developing a digital tool to monitor community composting processes, while €217,921 has been allocated to create a digital platform for the Regional Municipal Waste Observatory, enhancing transparency and data-driven decision-making.
Meanwhile, in Murcia, the regional government has launched a pilot project at the Alcantarilla wastewater treatment plant involving a high-performance thermal drying system aimed at reducing sludge volume by up to 95% and eliminating 99% of pathogenic microorganisms. This project, with an investment exceeding €18,000 funded by the Autonomous Community, includes advanced equipment to efficiently process sludge, significantly lowering transportation and management costs while improving sanitary safety. The initiative also explores the use of dried sludge as agricultural fertilizer or biofuel, aligning with Murcia's circular economy strategy.
Together, these projects highlight Asturias and Murcia's commitment to technological innovation and sustainability, setting benchmarks in Spain for efficient and modernized circular economy practices in waste and water management.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
