Barcelona Zero Waste Plan 2021-2027

Barcelona City Council has produced the Barcelona Zero Waste Plan 2021-2027 as an instrument for tackling the strategic challenges and goals relating to waste prevention and management over the coming years. It takes over from the previous Barcelona Waste Prevention Plan 2012-2020 and also incorporates the Zero Waste Strategy. 

The Zero Waste Plan is based on the zero waste philosophy, which follows the circular economy model where waste is understood as a resource, and it promotes tools to facilitate the reuse and recycling of waste materials.

The three pillars of zero waste are the following

  1. Reducing and reusing.
  2. Fostering the circularity of products and materials.
  3. Improving and increasing selective collection, with public participation and communication as cross-cutting values.

Challenges of the Zero Waste Plan

  • It takes another step in selective collection (individualised collection services, such as door-to-door collection, fair rates, community composting strategy).
  • It promotes public-private partnerships (network of economic players from different sectors, voluntary agreements with organisations, call for citizen action).
  • The plan incorporates research and innovation (studies and pilot schemes for selective collection and reuse, creation of the Zero Waste Observatory)
  • It places the emphasis on reuse (cutting down on single-use items and extending the useful life of products).
  • It redesigns and promotes the communication strategy (normalisation of reuse culture, transparency and communication of costs associated with waste management and the benefits of zero waste).

Quantitative goals

Description Reference 2019 Goal 2027
Municipal waste 1.34kg/inhab./day 1.17kg/inhab./day
General waste fraction 0.82kg/inhab./day 0.38kg/inhab./day
Reducing food waste (Compared to 2020) 5,963t 35% (3,876t)
Municipal waste destined for PfR (preparation for reuse) and reuse 0,31% 7%
Selective collection 38.40% 67%
Improper disposal in organic fraction 16.14% 8%
Selective textile collection 6.40% 15%
Increase in citizen participation (compared to 2019) 2,927,862 participants 10% (3,220,648 participants)
Reduction in emissions linked to municipal waste management compared to 2012 360.477 t de CO2-eq 39% (212.351 t de CO2-eq)

 

1.17 kg/inhab./day is the daily per capita waste generation target in the Zero Waste Plan for 2027

 

Qualitative goals

  • Integrate the zero waste philosophy into municipal waste management.
  • Mitigate the environmental impact and that of the climate emergency.
  • Move towards the circular economy model.
  • Reduce municipal waste generation.
  • Increase selective collection and material recovery.
  • Create new job opportunities and link them to social inclusion.

Key areas

  1. Prevention, reuse and preparation for reuse.
  2. Selective collection.
  3. Participation, governance and research.
  4. Regulations and taxation.
  5. Cleaning public spaces.

These five areas are divided into 12 strategic lines, 23 initiatives and 81 actions.

    • Preventing food waste. Raising public awareness in specific spaces, such as schools.
    • Besòs reuse centre. Materials laboratory, reference point for circularity and reuse.
    • Green points as reuse centres.
    • Barcelona Zero Plastic Pledge projects. “Takeaways - zero plastic”, “Food and beverages - zero plastic”, “Shopping - zero plastic”, “Water - zero plastic”.
    • All for exchange and reuse. Work network between spaces and entities linked to reuse.

    • Individualised collection. Based on various systems that make it possible to increase the quantity and quality of selective collection.
    • Let’s make the most of furniture day. Increase in the reuse of bulky items through a weekly collection service.
    • Decentralised management of organic matter. Municipal strategy of community composting and waste rate rebates.
    • Parks and beaches free of cigarette ends. Smoke-free public spaces.
    • Zero waste beach. Pilot test on a city beach.
    • Community roundtables. Public participation in waste prevention in the neighbourhoods.

Documentation