Although they already pay for waste management, several municipalities in the Barcelona metropolitan area do not have a garbage collection fee as such. A situation that must change from 2025, when the transposition of the European directive that requires a specific tax for this service will come into force. A regulation that comes in a context where, at the moment, the metropolitan region of the Catalan capital does not reach the recycling rates required by the EU.
Although the deadline is approaching, the truth is that localities are still studying how to impose the new rate. They doubt the method to carry it out and consider different options. At least Cornellà de Llobregat, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Viladecans, l’Hospitalet de Llobregat and El Prat de Llobregat are in this situation.
“Currently, we charge this service within the IBI,” says the mayor of Viladecans, Carles Ruiz. In this town they are in the process of changing the conditions of the cleaning and waste collection contract to improve it. They hope to start with the new hire next year. When all the phases have been implemented, starting in 2030, the service could cost up to 14.7 million euros annually. Currently, the investment is around 6.3 million. “Until we know exactly how we are doing with the new service, we cannot decide how to apply the new rate,” the mayor reasons.
“The EU model is that those who recycle better pay less, but sometimes it can be difficult to apply it,” comments the mayor of Viladecans. Models such as door-to-door can have difficulties in neighborhoods with high-rise apartment blocks, he exemplifies.
What Carles Ruiz is clear about is that it is better for municipalities to go hand in hand and adopt similar solutions. “As in low-emission zones, there do not have to be disparate criteria,” he resolves.
They coincide with this last observation in l’Hospitalet and El Prat. “As cities, we must go hand in hand. With legal certainty,” considers the deputy mayor of the Maintenance and Services area of ??the Hospitalet City Council, David Gómez. And some local finance experts warn that the new rate may lead to legal disputes. “Obviously, we must comply with the regulations,” he acknowledges.
“The Metropolitan Area of ??Barcelona (AMB) is getting involved, waste management is already charged through it,” adds the mayor of l’Hospitalet. In fact, there have been meetings with the metropolitan entity and conversations between town councils in this area.
“We are studying many options. There is no decision made,” says Gómez. At the time, he considered following the example of Barcelona and considering water consumption as a parameter comparable to the generation of waste. Thus, those who consume less water would pay less for the garbage fee.
But there are doubts about this model. The Catalan capital included the rate in the water bill in 2020, but that decision ended up in court. In fact, the TSJC overturned the tax after an appeal by Aigües de Barcelona. Now the ruling of the Supreme Court is awaited after an appeal presented by Barcelona City Council.
Sources from the El Prat City Council assume that “the rate must be applied.” However, they estimate that “until next year” they will not know how to do it. “Like others, this is a metropolitan case. The different cities must go hand in hand,” they resolve.
