In 2025, the AMB generated 1,465,045 tons of waste, a 1.6% increase from the previous year, amounting to 422.42 kg per inhabitant. Although per capita generation has decreased by 11.7% since 2010, it remains far from the EU's 2030 target of 15%. Selective collection at source reached 39.9% (584,383 tons), a figure virtually unchanged from the prior year.
The predominant open container system has not allowed the achievement of the 55% recycling target set by the EU and PREMET25 for 2025. Only 8 out of 36 metropolitan municipalities and two districts of Barcelona exceed this threshold. The AMB plans to redesign its treatment infrastructure by 2035, constructing ten new plants and renovating existing ones to prioritize prevention and increase recycling rates to 65%.
The organic fraction presents the main area for improvement, accounting for 30.4% of total selective collection. The generation of light packaging and other plastics was 54 kg per inhabitant, with a 36.7% selective collection rate. Glass, with a 64.6% selective collection rate, is the most consolidated fraction, while paper and cardboard collection remains at 43.9%.
The operational cost for treating metropolitan waste in 2025 was €217 million (62.5 euros per inhabitant), a 4.85% increase from the previous year. The AMB estimates that more efficient collection systems could reduce annual costs by €20 million. The metropolitan waste treatment fee (TMTR) ranges between 60 and 140 euros per household annually, depending on generation and recycling rates.
The new treatment infrastructure strategy includes increasing prevention, prioritizing the organic fraction (generating fertilizers and biomethane), and constructing a post-treatment plant to reduce final waste. The goal for 2035 is a 65% recycling rate, with less than 10% of total waste ending up in controlled landfills.
