The volume of waste generated in the Balearic Islands in 2022 was 834,105 tonnes, a figure equivalent to 511 kg per capita. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 7.81 per cent. The Director General of Circular Economy, Energy Transition, and Climate Change, Diego Viu, stated that “the data for 2022 shows results that can be favourable from the start of the actions and the waste prevention strategy; but we are still not meeting Europe’s objectives, so we need to strengthen and put all our energy into the new strategic developments, sectoral master plans, and more ambitious policies to achieve the targets.”
Photos: CAIB.
By island, Mallorca, with a production of 624,511 tonnes, generated 74.9% of municipal waste in the Balearic Islands; followed by Ibiza, with a production of 128,917 tonnes, representing 15.4%; Menorca produced 69,910 tonnes, equivalent to 8.4%; and finally Formentera, accounting for 1.3%.
Selective collection by fractions
The summary of the data on selective waste collection in 2022 is as follows:
- Residual waste: Accounts for 65.1% of selectively collected waste, totalling 543,214 tonnes, a 5.1% increase from 2021.
- Bulky waste and wood: Represent 7.1% of the waste generated.
- Paper and cardboard: Make up 6.2% of the waste, with 51,308 tonnes collected.
- Glass and organic matter: Each represents 5.7%, with 47,727 tonnes of glass and 42,329 tonnes of organic matter, the latter showing a 40.6% increase from 2021.
- Energy recovery and recycling: Of the total municipal waste, 60.3% was energy recovered, 18.8% recycled, 13.4% was landfilled, 7.5% was lost through decomposition processes, and 0.8% is stored awaiting treatment.
Status concerning regional and national regulations
To meet regional and national targets, the Waste Law of the Balearic Islands sets a goal of reducing waste generation by 20% by 2023 compared to 2010, and we are currently at -7.3%; to eliminate 10% of waste through landfill disposal, and we are 3.4% above the target; and to recycle at least 75% of non-industrial packaging waste in the Islands, where according to 2022 data, 54.2% is being recycled.
The National Waste Law for a Circular Economy sets a goal of separately collecting at least 50% of municipal waste by 2035; in the 2022 data for the Balearic Islands, this figure stands at 34.9%. Additionally, the law aims to prepare for reuse and recycle at least 65% of municipal waste, while the 2022 data for the Balearic Islands shows 18.8%.
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