Commercial collection
Shops and business activities in Barcelona have an obligation to manage their waste properly. According to Legislative Decree 1/2009, of 21 July, approving the Revised Text of Act 6/1993, which regulates Waste in Catalonia, all commercial and service establishments must manage their waste correctly, separating the different waste and using the types of collection established in each area.
For most establishments and business activities, the collection service is subject to paying the public charge. That charge varies depending on the type of activity and also the category and volume of waste generated.
Regulations and recommendations
Below you can consult the regulations in force, as well as a list of recommendations for managing waste properly.
Types of selective collection of commercial waste
The City Council establishes four types of selective commercial waste collection, classifying commercial activities according to the collection system they have to use and the volume of waste they generate.
Establishments located outside shopping hubs or areas where a door-to-door commercial collection service is provided.
- Conventional collection service similar to domestic collection, for establishments where the total volume of the organic and residual waste is less than 600 litres a day, or where less than 600 litres a week are generated in the case of paper/cardboard, glass and light packaging.
Establishments located inside shopping hubs or areas where a door-to-door commercial collection service is provided. These activities are divided into two subgroups, depending on the volume of waste generated.
- Conventional collection service similar to domestic collection, for establishments where the total volume of the organic and residual waste is equal to or less than 120 litres a day, or where less than 120 litres a week are generated in the case of paper/cardboard, glass and light packaging, except for cardboard in the case of an area which has a system for collecting it bound and folded on the pavement.
- Collection service with bins, for establishments where the total amount of the organic and residual waste iis more than 120 litres a day and equal to or less than 600 litres a day, or more than 120 litres a week and equal to or less than 600 litres a week in the case of paper/cardboard, glass or light packaging. This collection is determined by the waste for which the City Council provides the service and provided that the technical criteria are met.
Establishments identified as being big waste generators, regardless of what area they are in.
- Collection service with bins, for establishments that are big waste generators where the total volume of the organic and general waste is equal to or more than 600 litres a day, or where more than 600 litres a week are generated in the case of paper/cardboard, glass or light packaging.
Establishments with a commercial waste collection service consisting of a system of pneumatic drop boxes. These activities are classified in two subgroups.
- Commercial establishments within the pneumatic collection area, similar to domestic collection, will have to make use of this system for the waste accepted.
- Establishments with internal drop boxes will have to use this system for organic waste (identified with brown labels) and residual waste (identified with grey labels). For the other waste, they will have to use the collection systems established in their area.
Consult all the details of the Regulations and Public Charges in 2021 in the Barcelona Province Official Bulletin.
Useful links:
- Specific regulations for shops and business activities on door-to-door collection in Sarrià.
- Specific regulations for shops and business activities on door-to-door collection in Sant Andreu de Palomar.
- Specific regulations for shops and business activities on collection with mobile platforms in Bon Pastor.
Classification of activities based on the waste generated
Shops and business activities in Barcelona are classified by the volume of waste they generate and the surface area of their establishment or premises:
A) Establishments where the total volume of the organic and residual waste is less than 600 litres a day, or where less than 600 litres a week are generated in the case of paper/cardboard, glass and light packaging. Depending on the type of activity businesses carry out and the surface area of their establishment or premises, they will be regarded as:
- Minimum generators, if they are activities carried out by professionals – groups in Section 2a of the Economic Activity Tax rates – in establishments, premises, offices or their or their own home, with a surface area of or less than 25 m2.
- Small generators, if they are business activities – Section 1a – carried out in premises, establishments, offices, etc., with surface areas of up to 50 m2 , and professional activities – Section 2a – carried out in premises, establishments, offices, etc., with surface areas from 25 m2 up to 50 m2 inclusive.
- Medium generators , if they are business activities – Section 1a –and professional activities – Section 2a – carried out in premises, establishments, offices, etc., with surface areas from 50 m2 up to 250 m2 .
- Big generators , if they are business activities – Section 1a –and professional activities – Section 2a – carried out in premises, establishments, offices, etc., with surface areas over 250m2 .
B) Establishments of business activities – Section 1a – and professional activities – Section 2a – in which the total volume generated from the organic and residual waste is equal to or more than 600 litres a day or the volume generated is equal to or more than 600 litres a week in the case of paper and cardboard, glass or light packaging, regardless of their surface area, are, to all intents and purposes, regarded as big generators when applying the public sector charge.
The waste generated by the activity must be separated at source in specific containers.
Consult all the details of the Regulations and Public Charges in 2021 the Barcelona Province Official Bulletin.
Regulations in force
In accordance with Article 106 of Law 7/85, of 2 April, governing Local Government Regulations, Articles 41ff of the Revised Text of the Law governing Local Tax Authorities, public charges are set to provide commercial and industrial waste collection services similar to the municipal services defined in the Revised Text of the Law governing Waste in Catalonia approved by Legislative Decree 1/2009, of 21 July.
All business activities in Barcelona that generate waste are subject to paying the public charge for the selective collection service for waste (organic, packaging/containers, paper and cardboard, glass and residual waste) that their own activity generates. The obligation to pay the public charge arises from the use of the service or the start of the activity if the corresponding City Council approval for the use of the private selective collection service or reverse logistics system has not been received, as stated in Article 14 of the Public Sector Charges Regulations.
In order to use the waste collection service, all natural and legal persons that carry out an economic activity must register for this charge in the census and file a self-assessment for the first year using the standard form available on the Tax Office website. This procedure enables minimum, small, medium and major generators to self-assess for the waste collection charge.
For further information, consult the table of charges in the Regulations and Public Charges in 2021 in the Barcelona Province Official Bulletin
Obligations for commercial activities
All commercial activities in the city of Barcelona must separate waste generated at source, using the types of collection established in their area of activity.
In order to determine the corresponding generator classification, shops and business activities must provide the City Council with information on the volume of waste they generate.
Establishments in areas where there are no waste-collection containers on the streets must deliver waste using bins, containers or a system of bags, depending on the type of collection in their area and the volume of waste generated.
Activities that have to deliver their waste by means of bins, containers or pneumatic collection drop boxes must separate waste respecting the following classification:
- Organic: brown bin or container with a lid or top or pneumatic collection drop box with a brown identifying label.
- Packaging:bin or container with a yellow lid or top. This collection is conditioned by the fact that the City Council provides the service as long as the technical
- Paper and cardboard: paper, with a bin or container that has a blue lid or top, and cardboard, bound and folded on the pavement.
- Residual waste: bin or container with grey lid or top or pneumatic collection drop box with a grey identifying label.
- Glass: bin or container with a green lid or top.
Establishments that generate organic and residual waste will have to manage them with the same type of collection system, in other words by using the municipal service, hiring a private service or by using reverse logistics systems. In either of these cases, the establishment will have to ensure the waste is delivered separately. In exceptional circumstances, and with prior approval from the Cleaning and Waste Management Services Directorate (DSNGR in Catalan), which comes under Urban Ecology – Environment and Urban Services, this waste may be managed by different services. Applications must be submitted at any municipal registry for the attention of the DSNGR. The City Council may carry out the inspections and controls it deems appropriate and ask for the mandatory documentation for issuing the pertinent validation.
All shops and business activities in the city of Barcelona are obliged to pay the public charge for the collection services for commercial and industrial waste with similar characteristics to municipal waste. In exceptional cases, the establishments may not be subject to paying the public charge or may benefit from reductions. Check all the exceptions in the Rates section.
Annual rates for commercial waste collection
AMOUNT
The annual rates for commercial waste collection are set according to the volume of waste that shops and business activities generate and the composition of the waste generated.
- 1. The annual fee for establishments that generate a volume of less than 600 litres a day for organic and residual waste combined or less than 600 litres a week for paper/cardboard, glass or light packaging, is determined in accordance with the following criteria:
A) The volume of waste generated, calculated on the basis of the surface area of premises, establishments, offices and other sites where the activity takes place, which is why they are classified as minimum, small, medium and big generators, as stated in Article 5, Section 1, of the General Regulations for Public Charges in 2021 (page 30).
B) The composition of the waste generated, established on a preliminary basis based on the activity headings, and which results in their classification into groups A, B, C, D or E, in accordance with Article 5, Section 2.
The amount is calculated according to the surface area of the premises and economic activity heading, in accordance with Article 10. - The annual fee for big waste-generating establishments where the sum of the volumes generated by the residual and organic waste is equal to or greater than 600 litres a day, or whose generated volume of paper/cardboard, glass or light containers is greater than 600 litres a week, considered as large generators, is established on the basis of the number of litres per day collected from the residual waste and on the cost of delivery, replacement, maintenance and cleaning (1 intensive washing and 2 mechanical ones) of the bins or containers used for the collection of the organic matter, glass, paper/cardboard and light packaging selective waste.
All owners of activities deemed to be big generators must request a waste generation survey (EGR) within one month from the date of start of operations (see Article 11 of the Regulations on Public Charges).
If this survey is not requested, the company/establishment will be deemed to voluntarily accept the municipal service, and the volume of waste generated will be estimated for the purpose of assessing the public charges in accordance with the established rates and correction coefficients.
The EGR request can be submitted by means of a petition at any resident help and information office (OAC) or at the Urban Ecology Registry.
Specific information may be obtained by contacting any OAC or calling 010. - All charges are subject to Value Added Tax, at a reduced rate.
- Use of the pneumatic collection system with exclusive internal drop boxes:
A) The organic waste rate is placed in the same category as the annual cost of collecting a 660-litre bin of any selective waste.
B) The residual waste rate is established on the basis of the number of additional vacuum collections required to ensure that all the waste is taken. The price per vacuum collection is placed in the same category as the cost of collecting the residual waste of a 660-litre bin. - The prices defined for the residual waste for each bin collected applies regardless of the type of waste being collected.
Consult all the details of the Regulations and Public Charges in 2021 in the Barcelona Province Official Bulletin.(page 33)
NOT SUBJECT
The following are not subject to paying the public charge for the provision of commercial and industrial collection services similar to municipal waste:
A) The owners of activities that generate commercial and industrial waste that can be classified as municipal waste and can prove that they have the City Council’s approval for the use of the private collection service or reverse logistics system as provided for in Article 14. General Regulations for Public Charges in 2021 (page 38).
This will be approved as longs as proof is provided that all the waste generated is managed privately during the current year.
B) The owners of activities without a declared surface area.
C) The owners of activities that generate industrial waste that cannot be classified as municipal waste.
REDUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC CHARGES
In some cases, shops and economic activities can benefit from reductions in the public charge for waste collection, as long as they meet one of these conditions:
A) Seasonal activities subject to occupancy licences for public spaces will enjoy a 50% reduction of the applicable rate, provided that the said activity is carried out for no more than six months.
B) Waste management by means of private waste managers and transport companies. Public charges may be reduced when the owners of activities generating commercial and industrial waste that can be classified as municipal waste can prove that any of the waste generated have City Council approval for the use of the private selective collection service or reverse logistics system, in accordance with Article 14, for the current year. This assumption will be validated as long as the private management of the entire waste for which a contract is available with a private operator is certified.
Per als establiments que no siguin grans generadors, la reducció del preu públic consistirà en una reducció del coeficient en funció de cadascuna de les fraccions recollides selectivament d’acord amb el que estableix l’article 8, apartat b.
For all establishments other than big generators, the reduction in the public charge will consist of a reduction of the coefficient in line with each of the waste collected separately, in accordance with Article 8, Section b. To obtain the discount, in the case of establishments other than big generators, the documentation will have to be submitted at any municipal registry for the attention of the DSNGR of Urban Ecology – Environment and Urban Services within the first six months of the year. Any applications submitted after that will come into effect in the following tax year, should they be approved.
C) Recognition of the contribution to the Resident Commitment to Sustainability. A 10% reduction on the resulting rates will be applied to those organisations and companies in Barcelona that have put in place an action plan within the framework of Barcelona’s Resident Commitment to Sustainability in one of the following ways:
- Schools with an action plan in force, under the More Sustainable Barcelona Schools programme, during the school year that starts prior to the year the public charge is applied.
- Organisations that have signed up to the Barcelona Biosphere Commitment to Sustainable Tourism, recognised with the Biosphere label for their improvement plan for the year prior to public charge application.
- All other organisations that have signed the Resident Commitment to Sustainability with a published and implemented sustainability action plan. The action plan must have been published no later than on 30 June of the year immediately preceding that of the application of the charge.
- Organisations that sign up to the Resident Commitment to Sustainability later than 30 June in the year preceding that of the application of the charge and publish a sustainability report.
- Economic and professional activities linked to an association, guild or professional association that is a signatory to the Resident Commitment to Sustainability and which declared that they were joining the current sustainability action plan for their associative organisation and carried out the actions proposed during the year immediately preceding that of the application of the charge.
- The fact of joining the sustainability plan must have been declared by the beneficiary associate no later than on 30 June of the year immediately preceding that of the application of the charge, by means of an online or paper form sent by the organisation to its members.
- These economic and professional activities’ membership of the association, guild or professional college/association must have been certified by their organisation by means of a list of the members that have joined the plan.
- Economic and professional activities that started their operations after 30 June in the year prior to that of the application of the public charge,on the condition that they are associated to an association, guild or professional college/association that is a signatory to the Resident Commitment to Sustainability and can prove they have carried out the actions by submitting their sustainability report.
- These economic and professional activities’ membership of the corresponding association, guild or professional college/association must have been certified by their organisation by means of a list of the members that have joined the plan.
Chains of establishments, franchises, shopping centres, corporate groups, guilds, shopping hubs and associations, even if they are associated with a higher-level organisation, must have developed their own action plan so that their member establishments are able to join it and enjoy the reduction in the public charge.
The reduction will not apply to the owners of activities that have been the subject of two sanctions for failure to comply with the waste legislation in the last twelve months.
D) Users of the Mercabarna wholesale market Green Point. All those activities that can prove they use the Mercabarna Green Point for the delivery of the residual, organic, paper/cardboard and packaging waste, and that so request, will be able to enjoy the reduction associated with the corresponding residual waste coefficient. They must submit the documentation within the first six months of the current year, at any municipal registry, for the attention of the Directorate of Cleaning and Waste Management Services (DSNGR), attached to Urban Ecology – Environment and Urban Services. Documents submitted after this time will not be accepted. The documents must be submitted and validated every year.
E) Professional activities carried out from home. The owners of professional activities classified as minimum producers – with a surface area of 25 m2 or less – that carry out their professional activity at their registered residential address, individually and without employees, will enjoy a reduction of 100% of the applicable rate of the public charge.
Consult all the details of the Regulations and Public Charges in 2021 in the Barcelona Province Official Bulletin. (page 34)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Each commercial activity has its own way of managing the waste it generates. However, if they all keep these four essential points in mind, they will no doubt reduce the volume of waste they produce and contribute towards achieving a more sustainable city.
- The best waste is waste that is not created.
Avoid unnecessary packaging, buy rationally and use reusable materials. - Recycle as many materials as possible. Reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or incinerators. Let’s give it a new use.
- Don’t leave any waste next to containers or just dump it on the street. Everyone has a duty to ensure we have clean streets free of rubbish.
- Stick to the times stipulated for taking out your rubbish. That way you won’t cause a nuisance to pedestrians or neighbours.
If your activity generates waste which, given its characteristics (smell, loss, decomposition of organic matter, etc.), may be a nuisance to the public, use bags of the right thickness or a two bags and ensure they are closed correctly, so they don’t break or open when thrown.
Remember that commercial activities can either organise collection through municipal services or hire private waste managers or transport companies registered with the Waste Agency of Catalonia to provide the service.
The City Council has a free helpline (900 702 030) to answer any queries that businesses may have when managing their waste. It also provides tailored training in the management of commercial and industrial waste that can be classified as municipal waste. This service is also free and can be requested by calling +34 932 389 350 or sending an email to: formacio@siresa.cat.
Below you can consult the recommendations for managing waste according to each commercial activity:
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Organic waste. Separation is compulsory, whether they are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones. It is also compulsory for big waste generators.
Paper and cardboard. This waste must be managed like paper and cardboard in general:
In commercial collection areas, it must be taken out at the appointed time on collection days. In areas with no commercial collection, it must be folded and placed in the blue containers on the streets.
Vegetable oil. Separation is compulsory and its collection must be accredited by hiring a private waste manager (the establishment must have a copy available of the contract in force with a collection company authorised by the Waste Agency of Catalonia) or by receipts for the delivery of this waste to any Area Green Point in the city. -
Old electrical or electronic appliances. According to the new European Directive on regularising rights and obligations with regard to proper management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), establishments must offer free collection of an old appliance when you buy a new one.
- Large electrical appliances
- Small electrical appliances
- IT and telecommunications equipment
- Consumer electronic appliances
- Lighting appliances
- Electrical and electronic tools
- Toys or sports and recreational equipment
- Medical appliances
- Surveillance and control instruments
- Dispensing machines
Packaging. The large packaging of household electrical appliances must be managed properly.
- In commercial collection areas, it must be taken out at the appointed time on collection days.
- In areas with no commercial collection, it must be folded and placed in the blue containers on the streets.
- Protective materials such as porexpan can be taken to area green points.
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Old furniture. Old furniture cannot just be left on the street. The best thing to do is to coordinate the day for delivering new furniture to customers with the day that 900 226 226 assigns for free collection of furniture and junk. Shops could provide this service on behalf of their customers and complete the procedure before delivering the new furniture.
If it isn’t possible for the two days to coincide, it will be necessary to use the area green points. Under the Civic Agreement, shops belonging to the Furniture Trade Guild get a 50% discount on green point charges if they present the card sent by the guild beforehand. -
Dead animals.The City Council has a service for collecting dead animals, with a public charge. Call the helpline 010 if you want to use it. Consult the table of charges in the Regulations and Public Charges in 2021 in the Barcelona Province Official Bulletin.
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- The separation of office waste must be respected and each separate waste managed properly.
- If an office does not do any kind of separation, it needs advising on the best way to do so, recommending, for example, different types of selective waste bins and spaces reserved for separation.
- In any event, rubbish cannot be left on the street before 8 pm nor after the refuse collection trucks have passed.
- It is advisable to insert environmental clauses into contracts that enable progress to be made in separating waste in offices.
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The Barcelona Education Consortium, together with the Barcelona Municipal Institute of Education (IMEB), coordinates different kinds of selective collection in schools. Among others, it coordinates the separation of organic and residual waste. Separation of the organic waste is compulsory whether the schools are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones. It is also compulsory for big waste generators.
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Cardboard boxes. The logistics company that distributes/supplies most of the boxes of tobacco offers to take away the empty boxes, suitably folded, when they deliver the next order of tobacco.
This reverse logistics system has been promoted by the City Council and the Barcelona and Province Association of Stamp and Tobacco Vendors, as part of the Civic Agreement for a Clean and Sustainable Barcelona. It enables the cardboard boxes to be fully recycled and reused, and also reduces the volume of rubbish on the streets.Other ways of managing cardboard:
- In commercial collection areas, it must be taken out at the appointed time on collection days.
- In areas with no commercial collection, it must be folded and placed in the blue containers on the streets.
- Under no circumstance can it be thrown out or left by the side of the rubbish containers on the street.
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Expired medication. These types of medicines are managed by the SIGRE container system.
Chemical or special waste. The City Council and the College of Pharmacists have considered the possibility of taking this waste to Barcelona area green points on specific dates. The College has more information on this possibility.
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Organic waste. Separation of organic waste is compulsory whether the establishments are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones. It is also compulsory for big waste generators.
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Organic waste. Separation is compulsory whether they are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones. It is also compulsory for big waste generators.
Plastic or wooden boxes. There are several management options:
- They can be returned to the Mercabarna wholesale market Green Point the following day, before loading the fruit.
- They can be taken to city area green points.
- They can be returned to the supplier of the goods.
- They cannot be left beside the street containers.
Cardboard boxes. These must be managed like paper and cardboard in general:
- In commercial collection areas, they must be taken out at the appointed time on collection days.
- In areas with no commercial collection, they must be folded and placed in the blue containers on the streets.
- They can also be taken to city area green points or the one at Mercabarna.
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These must comply with the autonomous region regulations with regard to managing the different groups of waste.
In the case of types of waste that are the responsibility of the local authority, it must be remembered that most hospitals and clinics are considered to be big waste generators, with the obligations described in the corresponding section.
Organic waste. If the hospital generates a large amount of waste, it must be separated with interior containers. Separation is compulsory whether the hospitals are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones.
Cardboard boxes. These must be managed like paper and cardboard in general:
- In commercial collection areas, they must be taken out at the appointed time on collection days.
- In areas with no commercial collection, they must be folded and placed in the blue containers on the streets.
- They can also be taken to city area green points or the one at Mercabarna.
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Old mattresses. Old furniture cannot simply be left on the street. It is advisable to coordinate the day for delivering mattresses to customers with the day that 900 226 226 assigns for free collection of furniture and junk. The shops could provide this service on behalf of their customers and complete the procedure before delivering the mattresses.
If it isn’t possible for the two days to coincide, it will be necessary to use the area green points. Under the Civic Agreement, shops belonging to the Mattress Makers Guild get a 50% discount on green point charges if they present the card sent by the guild beforehand. -
Barcelona City Council promotes what we call the greening of offices and organisations. That means:
- a commitment to preserving the environment
- a saving on the consumption of energy and materials
- a reduction in waste production
- an improvement in the quality of life in workplaces
- a boost to the organisation’s public image
- For all those reasons we have to work on improving waste management processes. Even though that requires an effort to overcome certain routines, it will allow us to achieve significant improvements.
Paper. Offices must have litter bins solely for paper that can no longer be used.
Residual waste. It is important we always put this waste in the containers provided, never outside, and respect the times for doing so (8 pm to 10 pm).
Special waste. Office waste such as fluorescent tubes, batteries or toners must be left at the area green points.
Steps must be taken to ensure the company responsible for cleaning the office respects waste separation, and manages each type of waste separately in the right way. It is advisable to insert environmental clauses into office cleaning contracts that enable progress to be made in separating office waste.
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Organic waste. Separation is compulsory, whether they are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones. It is also compulsory for big waste generators.
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Organic waste. Separation is compulsory, whether they are in commercial collection areas or domestic organic collection zones. It is also compulsory for big waste generators.
Organic waste must be put in thick or double bags that are tightly sealed to prevent leaching and bad odours.Porexpan boxes. Boxes that have contained fish can be returned to the Mercabarna Green Point the next day, before loading more fish. They cannot be left beside the street containers.
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Bulky material. Bulky objects or junk cannot simply be left on the street. A good idea is to coordinate the delivery day for new material to customers with the day that 900 226 226 assigns for free collection of furniture and junk. Locksmiths could provide this service on behalf of their customers and complete the procedure before delivering the new material.
If it isn’t possible for the two days to coincide, it will be necessary to use the area green points. Under the Civic Agreement, shops belonging to the Locksmiths Guild get a 50% discount on green point charges if they present the card sent by the guild beforehand. -
Generally speaking, supermarkets are regarded as big waste generators.
See the sections on fruit shops, fishmongers, etc., regarding the specific management of each type. -
Practically all the waste from these repair shops is regarded as special. So it is necessary to ensure it is treated properly. We therefore recommend:
- Hiring a company that is responsible for managing all the waste or, failing that, contracting waste management out to several specialist companies (integrated management systems).
- 2. Using area green points, with the volume limits set by the regulations for these materials.