Alt CampAlt EmpordàAlt PenedèsAlt UrgellAlta RibagorçaAnoiaAranBagesBaix CampBaix EbreBaix EmpordàBaix LlobregatBaix PenedèsBarcelonèsBerguedàCerdanyaConca de BarberàGarrafGarriguesGarrotxaGironèsLluçanèsMaresmeMoianèsMontsiàNogueraOsonaPallars JussàPallars SobiràPla d'UrgellPla de l'EstanyPrioratRibera d'EbreRipollèsSegarraSegriàSelvaSolsonèsTarragonèsTerra AltaUrgellVallès OccidentalVallès OrientalAlt CampAlt EmpordàAlt PenedèsAlt UrgellAlta RibagorçaAnoiaAranBagesBaix CampBaix EbreBaix EmpordàBaix LlobregatBaix PenedèsBarcelonèsBerguedàCerdanyaConca de BarberàGarrafGarriguesGarrotxaGironèsLluçanèsMaresmeMoianèsMontsiàNogueraOsonaPallars JussàPallars SobiràPla d'UrgellPla de l'EstanyPrioratRibera d'EbreRipollèsSegarraSegriàSelvaSolsonèsTarragonèsTerra AltaUrgellVallès OccidentalVallès Oriental
CA|ES|EN

Diari de Catalunya

Waste Management in El Vendrell Overwhelmed During Easter Week

Neighbor complaints accumulate due to the large amount of garbage in the streets, questioning the new collection system.

Overflowing waste containers in a Mediterranean city street
IA

Overflowing waste containers in a Mediterranean city street

Easter Week has tested the new waste collection system in various areas of El Vendrell, revealing deficiencies and leading to an overflow of garbage that has generated numerous neighbor complaints.

The collection system, managed by the Consell Comarcal del Baix Penedès through a mixed company, has shown significant shortcomings. The Councilor for Street Cleaning, Jero Merino (PP), has pointed out that the contract is poorly designed, as the only company that bid for the contract already warned that the price did not allow it to meet all the requirements.
“

"There is a poor design of the contract. At street level, effectiveness is not being seen in El Vendrell. There are overflows in container batteries."

Jero Merino · Councilor for Street Cleaning (PP) in El Vendrell
During Easter Week, areas such as Coma-ruga, Sant Salvador, and various urbanizations have suffered from a large accumulation of waste and garbage bags around the containers. This situation has been surprising, as Easter Week is not considered high season in the service design.
Despite the implementation of new systems such as door-to-door collection in urbanizations like Romaní and Bonavista, or smart containers in the neighborhoods of El Puig and El Pèlag, and recently in Sant Salvador and Coma-ruga, problems persist. Initially, there were failures in the equipment and card readers, and sanctions have been applied for leaving bags outside the containers.
For his part, Baltasar Santos (PSC), Councilor for Central Services of El Vendrell and regional councilor, has indicated that at the regional level the new system is beginning to yield results, increasing the recycling level from 15% to 45% in some localities, approaching the European Union's 65% target. However, for El Vendrell, he believes it is still too early to make a definitive assessment.
Opposition groups such as ERC-Som Poble, Fem Vendrell, Primer El Vendrell, and Vox have called for an urgent review of the system. Mar Vázquez, from Fem Vendrell, has criticized the citizen disincentive to recycle due to the increase in the fee based on the square meters of the home. Jennifer Macía, from Som Poble ERC, has called it a mistake that El Vendrell has not opted for direct management of the service.
The situation is complicated by the suspicion of container fires in Coma-ruga, possibly due to embers. The fear now is that the increase in population during weekends and summer will worsen the problem, as many owners have not yet collected the necessary card to open the containers, and cases of sabotage have been reported.

Related News