THE VOLUME OF RECYCLED WASTE REACHED 20 MILLION TONS IN SPAIN IN 2021

According to IFMA Spain’s latest report, the volume of recycled waste has increased by 3.1% throughout Spain in the last year. It is an X-ray of the current situation of waste recycling companies at the national level and gathers data from several institutions. Specifically, the volume of recycled waste reached almost 20 million tons in 2021.

These data confirm that the Spanish economy generated around 138 million tons of waste last year, equivalent to around 490 kilos per person per year, 48% of which ended up in landfills.

However, of this 138 million, only 19.8 million were recycled into new products or raw materials, which resulted in revenues of 3.4 billion euros, compared to 3.1 billion euros the previous year. Similarly, metal waste accounted for more than 60% of the total volume recycled, while the paper and cardboard segment accounted for just over 20%, the rest being wood, glass and plastic.

These are two of the main conclusions drawn from the Big Figures for the Waste Recycling Sector 2022 prepared by the Research and Training Commission of IFMA Spain, the Spanish chapter of the International Facility Management Association. It is an x-ray of the current situation of waste recycling companies at national level and gathers data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the Technical Association for Waste and Environmental Management (ATEGRUS) and the DBK Sector Observatory.

The number of workers in the waste recycling sector decreased by 2.5% in 2021, reaching 7,800 workers, with almost 65% of the companies employing fewer than 10 workers. In 2021, the sector had 340 companies that managed, excluding transfer stations, some 365 Urban Waste Treatment and Disposal Plants.

Most of the companies were small, specialized in the recycling of a single material and coexisted with a small group of large operators. The top five competitors together concentrated 70% of revenues in 2021 while the top ten achieved an overall market share of 82%.

This study also highlights an increase in the waste generated that will contribute to boosting the activity and income of recycling companies in the coming years, which is why it is estimated that the Waste Recycling Sector will grow by around 2.1% this year. To this must be added the stimulus for this growth provided by European legislation, which requires that, by 2025, this figure must be 55%; by 2030, 60%; and by 2035, 65%.