Recycling in Spain

Do you have a query on how to get things done in Andalucia, where to find things, who to call? Find out by posting and hear about others experiences.
BENIDORM
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:15 pm
Location: Granada Province

Re: Recycling in Spain

Postby BENIDORM » Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:20 pm

We rarely 'pass on' clothing etc to the street collectors, however we occasionally would give them items that are only fit for recycling, most of our 'good stuff' is donated to animal welfare shops/charities, not so many around here but we do travel.!
Mrs B insists on washing and ironing every item we donate and I know many others do also, she is well aware that most of the shops don't have time to process items and a lot gets discarded...

Our preference for donations has always been to give to charities that we know where it will be used properly,and amongst others we support Great Ormond Street Hospital, at the moment they are getting bad press, but our eldest Granddaughter was given fantastic help there, she also had Mitochondrial Disease,similar to baby Charlie and she passed away recently.( She survived 20 years after diagnosis, but each case is very different, as with the recent baby Charlie case) .
Anyway it really is up to the individual, many people are only interested in getting rid of unwanted items, and don't seem to care where it goes !
Just this weekend a friend in UK asked us for our charity preference and is going to donate in the memory of our Granddaughter..a really nice thought.
Regards,
Gordon

User avatar
Liam6544
Tourist
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 5:16 am
Location: Stocholm

Re: Recycling in Spain

Postby Liam6544 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:04 am

BENIDORM wrote:Some interesting comments, Thank You..!

I have been asked if I know what happens to donated clothing etc..
So, ....If you have a 'bag' collection from your home or place your unwanted clothing in a 'clothing bank', it will be collected by a private company who will process the items and make a donation to the charity that is usually named on the leaflet/bin. ( This system is in use everywhere UK-Spain included )
Many people believe that they are donating directly to a charity and in most cases this is not so.
All of the items are graded, for instance clothing will be ..'Nearly new' ( this is also graded into 'Designer/ Grade 1 ), then other grades will include export quality ( lower grade)..to places like Africa-India ).
Worn out and damaged items will be sold to various processing firms who will recover various fibres ( woven wool and blends will be made into flock which can be used for seat /mattress filling etc.)
Woolen knitted items can be reclaimed and the fibres re-used for some types of manufacture ( usually made into woven material ).
Cashmere wool commands a high re-cycling price....Polyester-Crimplene fibres lower prices.
Cotton items are cut into 'wiping rags' still more popular than paper etc. with many end users.
The items sent to Third-World countries are purchased by merchants who Sell the items to 'poor people' !
In India I've actually visited a processing unit where workers remove zips, buttons', motifs, buckles etc. and even the thread for reuse .( cheap labour )
Well that it a very 'potted version', but hope that it is of interest to someone.

As to ethics, the 'giving' person has to decide if they are happy to donate their items for recycling and saving the planet, and maybe helping many unscrupulous traders around the world take advantage of poor people, personally I'm happy to donate and hope that I'm helping to save the planet and helping poor people even if only a little.
Regards,
Gordon
Interesting. Can they really take on something big? My buddies have several mattresses, they seem like on this site Link removed by ADC moderator. They are old and will not be able to bring them themselves, tell me they will be able to come and pick them up themselves? Or you can give contacts who can help them :)

Manchesteral
Resident
Posts: 1967
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:48 pm

Re: Recycling in Spain

Postby Manchesteral » Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:33 am

Recycling has improved dramatically in Spain in recent years but still has some way to go.

It's interesting to note that in the Scandinavian countries almost everything is recycled, even plastic meat/fruit trays from the supermarket, wood, metal, cardboard and paper etc all of which is handled by private recycling companies who make handsome profits from their activities, Spain is wide open for this kind of enterprise but would require huge investment.

One of the most obvious and successful models is the introduction of point of sale bottle deposits on glass, plastic drink bottles and beer/soft drink cans, in Sweden they call it pant or panta, this system forces all except the very rich or very lazy to return their empties.

It also has a secondary benefit whereby the homeless and unemployed walk around collecting any empties in order to reclaim the deposit incidentally keeping most public areas free of this kind of waste which in turn means the authorities spend less time and money cleaning up, it's not rocket science it just needs implementing !!

CielodeCadiz
Andalucia.com Amigo
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:35 pm
Location: California USA

Re: Recycling in Spain

Postby CielodeCadiz » Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:09 am

Regarding the eventual destination of plastic that users want "recycled", here in the USA it has become known that the destination was China, but that country has mostly ceased buying our recycled plastic waste and so a greater and greater amount is either stacking up or being put in landfills. (China would recycle the used plastic into pellets and provide/sell those pellets to small manufacturing concerns)

In Cadiz we diligently sort our recyclables and traipse down to the bins location about 300 meters away to add it to the selection of 4 or 5 different colored large containers. Where it goes from there I have no idea.

I believe "recycling" is mostly done to benefit the consumers and make them feel better about using so much plastic. It is increasingly evident that the key to stemming the mammoth tide of ocean-borne plastic waste is using less plastic and demand that producers/vendors/salespoints do the same.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 43 guests