Remember to Recycle Your Bottles this Christmas

Ecovidrio, the non-profit entity in charge of managing the recycling of glass packaging waste in Spain, in collaboration with Torrevieja Council, has launched the awareness campaign “We Have Good Reasons” during the Christmas holidays, with the aim of promoting the recycling of glass containers among all citizens, especially as there the consumption of materials sold in glass might increase at the time of year!

The initiative, which will take until January 6, invites all residents and visitors to the town to recycle glass packaging waste during these days, since they are dates with a significant increase in generation of waste and in which 20% of the glass containers that are recycled in a year are consumed.

Of course, we must also hope that they remember to empty the containers more frequently, or those which are regularly overflowing in the town will be in a worse state.

For the development of the campaign, Ecovidrio has placed a container decorated with the image of the campaign next to the Plaza de la Constitución in which it will be captured as an infographic how all citizens contribute, with the gesture of recycling glass containers, in the preservation of the environment. This presentation event was attended by the Urban Cleaning Councillor of the Torrevieja Council, María José Ruiz, and the Ecovidrio Zone Manager, Roberto Fuentes.

In addition, three more containers with the campaign image have been placed in the town, in which a different message can be read about the recycling of glass containers and the preservation of the environment. Specifically, on Paseo Vista Alegre, Plaza Capdepont and Paseo Juan Aparicio. The campaign doesn´t stretch beyond the centre of the town, where most of the problems exist, as usual.

Likewise, in the vicinity of the containers, an environmental educator will inform passers-by about the environmental benefits of recycling glass containers and will distribute original bookmarks with the campaign image and with messages about sustainability and bags for glass recycling. Specifically, it will be on Tuesday the 19th, Thursday the 21st and Friday the 22nd of December.

According to the latest available data corresponding to 2022, the citizens of Torrevieja recycled a total of 2,864,250 kilograms of glass containers, which, according to the press release accompanying the campaign, means that each citizen recycled an average of 34.2 kilograms of glass. According to Ecovidrio, 19.8 kilograms per person is the average in Spain.

Despite having more glass igloos, 830, the people of neighbouring Orihuela were behind Torrevieja in the overall figure of 2.732.498 kilograms. 33.8 kilograms per person.

Regarding the containerisation rate, Torrevieja has an average of 104.7 inhabitants per container, currently having a total of 798 igloos for glass packaging waste installed in the municipality.

The glass that is deposited in the containers is 100% recycled and used to manufacture new containers, indefinitely and without losing the original properties. By recycling glass, we avoid the growth of landfills.

Recycling glass is a key element in the fight against climate change. By using calcín – recycled glass – in the manufacture of new containers, the extraction of raw materials from nature is avoided, avoiding soil erosion and deforestation of our environment. In addition, CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process are minimised and energy is saved.