Viladecans, March 7th – Viladecans, a historic municipality in Spain renowned for its proactive measures in waste prevention, has achieved a significant milestone by becoming a Zero Waste Candidate City, following the prestigious MiZA Zero Waste Cities Certification.
The core of Viladecans‘ Zero Waste Plan focuses on key areas such as reducing single-use plastics, preventing organic and vegetable fractions, minimising paper and cardboard waste, and promoting reuse and repair initiatives.
Encarna Garcia, Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Sustainability Area of Viladecans, states:
“Viladecans is a city that places the improvement of people’s quality of life at the heart of its policies and works to conserve natural habitats and biodiversity. We know that less plastic in the environment is healthier for people and for the life of our ecosystems, which is why we are committed to reducing single-use plastics.”
Viladecans has done well in managing its waste in a sustainable way. In 2022, Viladecans generated less municipal waste per person than the average city in Catalonia. Overall, the local government wants to decrease the amount of rubbish created by each person by 15% before 2025, from a baseline of waste generation figures from 2015.. They aim to have 68.10% of all waste sorted for recycling as part of their multi-phase plan by introducing new ways of collecting waste, like using smart bins and door-to-door pick-up systems.
The 66,614-people-strong city’s Waste Prevention Plan 2021-2025 reflects its dedication to reducing waste generation and plastic usage. In 2019, Viladecans committed to become a responsible plastic-free city and has been diligently working on implementing measures to further prevent plastic usage.
Garcia acknowledges that waste generation is a growing problem with no clear solution. However, she sees the certification milestone as a beacon to other municipalities in the region. “If we start working,” she continues, “and other towns follow these steps, there will be more actions to reverse this negative trend.”
Viladecans‘ journey towards Zero Waste Candidate City status signifies a remarkable commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible stewardship. As the municipality continues to implement innovative measures, it sets a compelling example for municipalities worldwide to emulate.
Notes to the editor
- For more information about Viladecans’ sustainability initiatives, visit Viladecans Official Website.
- The Zero Waste Certification is made up of 5 steps: (i) the expression of interest in being Zero Waste by the municipality, (ii) the commitment to be Zero Waste, (iii) the implementation of this system, (iv) its certification and (v) the performance of annual improvements. The overcoming of each of these steps is given with the support and advice of expert entities in the fields of waste and resource management. The evaluation for certification is developed around a scoring system, which includes mandatory criteria and optional scoring criteria.
- Scoring criteria are scored based on the ambition and impact of each implemented policy. The sum of the points defines the level of certification of the municipality and its subsequent number of ‘stars’.
- Subsequent to Certification, municipalities must monitor their activity and make annual improvements to enhance the results achieved. Every 3 years they are subject to new audits.
Press contacts
Sean Flynn, Media Outreach & Communications Officer at Zero Waste Europe, sean@zerowasteeurope.eu or news@zerowasteeurope.eu / +32 471 96 55 93
Do you want to know more about the Certification of Zero Waste Cities and Municipalities? Discover more details about it here.
