New waste collection system with smart bins in Benissa
The new collection system
Benissa is launching a new waste collection model based on smart bins with opening control for the residual and organic fractions. The aim is to reduce residual waste (the grey bin, where mixed non-recyclable waste is disposed of), increase recycling, improve the condition of public space and reward good practices.
This website provides all the practical information you need:
- How the new system works
- Why the change
- How to get your card / activate the app
- Implementation phases
- Frequently asked questions
What changes?
- There will be organic waste bins throughout the municipality, located in the container areas for the different fractions.
- In an initial phase, the organic fraction (brown) becomes locked and is opened with a card or app.
- The residual waste bin (grey) has a locking system but in this phase it will remain open, and its closure is planned for future phases.
- The rest of the bins continue as before (blue, yellow and green).
- There will be support points to answer questions and deal with incidents.
Why the change?
Sorting waste correctly is a shared responsibility. When it is not sorted properly and materials are mixed (contaminants), selective collection loses quality and the cost of the service increases. With the new system, the aim is to improve waste separation at source, thereby reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill, as well as the cost of its management. This user identification system makes it possible to apply rebates to households that separate waste correctly.
It also helps prevent bin overflow, as each household has assigned bin areas.
For environmental responsibility
9 out of every 10 kg of waste can be recovered and recycled. In Benissa, approximately 20.5% of the total waste collected in the current bin system is recycled. Organic waste represented only 0.69% of the total in 2024, even though it accounts for 40% by weight of what is generated in homes.
For compliance with regulations
The European Directive and the Spanish Waste Law set a selective collection target of 55% for 2025, 60% for 2030 and 65% for 2035. In addition, by 2035 only 10% of waste may go to landfill or incineration.
For economic viability
The Spanish Waste Law establishes that the cost of waste management must be financed exclusively through the waste fee. To avoid a progressive increase in this fee, less waste must be generated and better separated.
For improved bin planning
Bin saturation and the proper design of the location of the disposal areas where the bins are installed are significant factors for proper waste collection.
Why smart bins?
Smart bins are a waste collection system with an electronic device that only allows the bin to be opened by identifying the user with a card or an app. The device records the use of the bin to improve the service and entails shared responsibility on the part of residents. It is a system implemented in numerous Spanish and European municipalities that makes it possible to achieve high selective collection rates.
The possibility of limiting, in future phases, the use of the grey bin, where residual waste that could be recycled ends up. In this way, waste sorting for recycling is encouraged.
The assignment of specific bin areas for each home. In this way, residents will always have a place to dispose of their waste, as the bins will have the necessary capacity for the assigned homes.
The possibility of applying rebates on the waste fee to homes that sort correctly.
In this first phase, the smart bins will only be operational for the organic fraction (brown); the rest of the fractions will remain unchanged.
Will I be able to use any smart bin in the municipality?
Each home will have three assigned bin areas, the best located ones; in this way bin saturation is avoided and the collection system is improved.
What do I have to do? (in 4 steps)
Check which bins in your area use access.
Collect the card and the app code. Remember that you have a pre-assigned week.
Identify your assigned bin areas.
Check the sorting guide for the different fractions: organic waste, packaging, paper-cardboard and glass; and leave residual waste only for what cannot be recycled.
Remember that you have the Ecopark, the Recycler and a home collection service for bulky waste.
Neighbourhood notice
Leaving bags outside the bin or using it incorrectly harms the neighbourhood. Always use the appropriate bin and close it properly after depositing the waste.
Contact
If you have any questions, you can contact us: