ASPAPEL celebrates paper recycling collection in Spain

Some 45 Spanish local and regional government jurisdictions (city councils and groups of municipalities) from 13 autonomous communities have received recognition for excellence in handling the separate collection of paper and board, according to Spain-based papermaking association ASPAPEL.

ASPAPEL says judging for its Pajaritas Azules (Blue Birdies) for 2022, covering the previous year, highlighted that “local entities show a firm commitment to sustainability year after year and do so in multiple areas, including recycling and reusing paper and paperboard.”

The 2022 Pajaritas Azules were presented at an event in Madrid chaired by Alfredo González, secretary of state for territorial policy there, and Elisabet Alier, chair of ASPAPEL (the Spanish Association of Pulp and Paper Manufacturers). Ismael Aznar, director general of quality and environmental assessment of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenges, also took part in the awards ceremony.

González said at the function, “It is essential to redouble our commitment to the circular economy, a concept that this government has incorporated among its priorities when dealing with climate change. And with the recovery plan, we are facing a historic opportunity to undertake the pending reforms and to transform the productive apparatus from criteria consistent with the objective of fighting climate change.”

Aznar remarked, “The winners of this edition are an example of how the circular economy is advancing in Spain, but there is still a long way to go. From the administration, we are developing the regulatory framework and mobilizing financial resources to make it possible.”

ASPAPEL Chair Alier commented, “Despite the difficult situation caused by the pandemic, this year we have broken the record for participation in the program, with 45 award winners, which is proof of the public authorities’ commitment to excellence in the separate collection of paper and board.”

ASPAPEL is forecasting that when 2021 collection figures are finalized, 4.3 million tons of used paper and board will have been separately collected in Spain, and 5.3 million tons have been recycled. “This data positions us a benchmark in Europe, making us the second country in the EU that does most recycling,” says Alier.

The Pajaritas Azules 2022 winning districts collect from 10 million inhabitants, says ASPAPEL. The Pajaritas Azules assessment is based on 21 indicators, which are valued according to established scales and analyze “everything related to the collection of blue bins and additional collections, information and citizen awareness campaigns and actions, aspects related to regulations and planning the handling, results and traceability up to final recycling,” states ASPAPEL.

The association adds, “The quality of the material collected is essential to close the circle as a fundamental element of the circular economy of paper and decarbonization.”