Members of the Lithuanian Regional Waste Management Centres Association (LRWMA) visited Barcelona on 3-4 July to learn more about the region’s waste sorting, collection and reuse solutions.
Waste management system: from locked containers to door-to-door collection
Víctor Mitjans Sanz, Head of the Waste Planning and Prevention Unit of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, AMB), presented Catalonia’s waste management infrastructure and the various social reuse initiatives. The LRATCA delegation visited bulky waste collection sites and mechanical-biological treatment facilities, reuse and repair sites, giving them the opportunity to assess the similarities and differences with the solutions in Lithuania.
In Barcelona, residents of apartment buildings sort mixed municipal waste, food, plastic, paper and glass into large above-ground containers. Due to the high population density, the containers are emptied on a weekly basis, and bulky waste is also collected weekly by a round trip. Door-to-door collection has also been introduced in some parts of the city, for example in the Sant Andreu district, where sorting rates have increased significantly, as the residents of that district, motivated by the potential discount on the collection fee, sort more responsibly.
Reuse initiatives and social responsibility
Viladecans collection sites have repair and reuse areas. Residents can repair various items themselves, use tools and get expert advice. The delegation also visited Solidança, a social enterprise that not only aims to reduce waste but also to provide employment opportunities for people experiencing social exclusion, by sorting textiles and repairing electronic appliances to prepare them for re-use.
The delegation visited the “Better than New” (Millor que nou) project, a space for repairing, exchanging and educating people on how to prolong the life of their belongings and reduce the consumption of new goods. The participants also got to know the mini-green dot in the Sant Antoni Market, a compact waste collection point conveniently located in the city’s infrastructure, where residents can leave their small waste just when they go shopping or when they pass by.
International partnerships – the path to innovative solutions
Žilvinas Šilgalis, President of LRATCA and Director of the Šiauliai Regional Waste Management Centre, emphasises that cooperation with waste management companies from other countries is necessary to create the most convenient sorting conditions for the population and to use technological resources efficiently:
“Barcelona’s experience has shown that only through a combination of convenient services, well-developed infrastructure, flexible pricing and active public involvement can we achieve the best results. We will analyse and evaluate the lessons learned to find solutions that can be applied in Lithuania.”
The lessons learnt from the visit will be discussed at the next LRATCA General Assembly. LRATCA is composed of UAB Alytus Regional Waste Management Centre, UAB Kaunas Regional Waste Management Centre, UAB Klaipėda Regional Waste Management Centre, UAB Marijampolė County Waste Management Centre, UAB Panevėžys Regional Waste Management Centre, UAB Šiauliai Regional Waste Management Centre, UAB Tauragė Regional Waste Management Centre, UAB Telšiai Regional Waste Management Centre, and UAB Utenos Regional Waste Management Centre.