Aragón allocates 9 million euros to improve urban waste recycling
The Government of Aragón will soon call for grants worth 9 million euros aimed at local entities to finance infrastructures and services that enhance the management and recycling of municipal waste. This initiative, co-financed by the FEDER Aragón 2021-2027 Program, seeks to advance towards a circular economy model through source separation and high-quality recycling.
The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Manuel Blasco, the Director General of Environmental Quality, María Martínez, and the Head of the Environmental Planning Service, Óscar Fayanás, presented these grants. The Director General explained that the goal is to improve the management of household waste and source separation, which is the responsibility of local entities whose needs have been identified by the department. The funding is distributed 60% by the Government of Aragón and 40% by European funds.
The call for proposals, which will be published in the Official Bulletin of Aragón in the coming days, establishes five subsidizable lines to improve separate collection and treatment of bio-waste, as well as the implementation or modernization of clean points:
- Construction or improvement of composting plants: allocated 2 million euros for organic waste treatment infrastructure.
- Equipment for composting without construction: has 1.8 million euros intended to equip existing facilities.
- Separate collection of bio-waste: has 1.8 million euros to improve collection systems for domestic and commercial organic waste.
- Construction or improvement of fixed clean points: assigns 2 million euros for permanent selective collection facilities.
- Provision of equipment or mobile clean points: reserves 1.4 million euros for mobile collection units.
Eligible for these grants are municipalities, districts, waste management consortia, and equivalent public entities that operate in waste management. The grant may cover up to 75% of the total project cost, with a minimum subsidizable amount of 200,000 euros. The procedure will be processed entirely electronically through the Government of Aragón’s headquarters, and the deadline for submitting applications will be one month from the official publication.
European framework and recycling objectives
This initiative will allow Aragón to continue making progress in meeting the objectives set by the European Union’s Waste Framework Directive, which stipulates that at least 55% of household waste must be recycled by 2025 and 60% by 2030. Current data on separate collection in the autonomous community highlight the need to strengthen local infrastructures, especially those aimed at the collection and treatment of bio-waste, which is one of the fractions with the greatest potential for improvement.
The call also aims to support local entities in implementing the new Comprehensive Waste Management Plan for Aragón, Prevention and Circular Economy 2024-2030 (GIRAPEC), which is currently undergoing environmental processing.
Pre-informative process
Before the official publication, the Directorate General of Environmental Quality has initiated an extensive informative process directed at local entities. A first session has already been held with municipal secretaries in the Virtual Classroom of the Directorate General of Local Administration. Additionally, its presentation is scheduled for the Environment Commission of the FAMCP on October 21 and in the Commission of Municipalities with more than 8,000 inhabitants on October 29. A joint event with the Directorate General of Financing and European Funds will also be held to explain the details of the call and resolve questions regarding the procedure.
