Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

City residents, shops, associations and schools can use the composting points for obtaining compost as a substrate for their gardens or urban allotments. This is an option for recycling organic material and helping to reduce the carbon footprint of waste. It is estimated that the eight municipal composting points can recycle around 58,000 km of organic material and generate 16,800 kg of compost a year.

How to take part in community composting?

• Visit one of the composting points closest to you and register with it, you’ll receive a bit of training in advance.
• Bring over any organic kitchen waste or vegetable waste from your balcony or garden plants, whether regularly or from time to time.
• Finished compost is manually sifted and distributed periodically among participants. It is used as a substrate for plants or gardens.

Where are the eight composting points located?

In the green points in the following neighbourhoods and areas:

• La Barceloneta (Fàbrica del Sol)
• Sagrada Família (Aula Ambiental)
• Plaça d’André Malraux (Fort Pienc)
• Folch i Torres
• Vallcarca
• Jardins de Montserrat (Casal de Joves Queix i Hort de la Lola)

And in the Can Valent allotment and in the Bosc Turull Environmental Classroom.

What are the benefits of community composting?

• Helps to reduce the carbon footprint of waste management and mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.
• Contributes to closing the cycle of organic material and promotes a sustainable circular economy.
• Is a meeting and socialization point with other users in the composting and distribution process of the final compost, among other activities that are organised.
• The compost that is generated is used as a substrate for gardens and urban allotments.

Consolidating the composting-points network, the goal of the Zero Waste Plan for 2021-2027

Barcelona City Council’s new Zero Waste Plan for 2021-2027 provides for the creation of a strategy for expanding and consolidating a community composting network in the city by establishing synergies with other composting initiatives set up in neighbourhoods.

Several associations are currently responsible for the management and maintenance of composters and for distributing and promoting several composting activities.