Data provided by the Tolosaldea Mancomunidad indicate a decline in the selective waste collection percentage in Tolosa during the first six months of the year, reaching 60.82%. This figure is below the 2025 average of 61.71%, and the mancomunidad warns that improper waste sorting could lead to higher fees for residents.
The new waste law and the requirement for the service to be self-sufficient may result in increased tariffs. Consequently, any waste incorrectly placed in a bin will impact the fee. Monthly figures show a decrease from 62.99% in January to 56.34% in February. While March saw a slight recovery to 62.11%, April and May recorded the lowest rates at 60.02% and 60.91% respectively. June closed at 62.70%. The six-month average stands at 60.82%.
An analysis of the past five years reveals a gradual decrease of five percentage points since 2021, when selective collection stood at 67.57%. This data, available on the Mancomunidad's website, shows a downward trend. Furthermore, Tolosa's figures are below the regional average of 63.97%.
A leaflet distributed by the Mancomunidad details the presence of incorrect materials in the brown (organic) and grey (reject) bins. In the brown bin, 18.13% of the deposited material is unsuitable, while in the grey bin, this figure rises to 44.67% (comprising 15.98% light packaging and 28.69% organic waste). The mancomunidad emphasizes that there is significant "room for improvement" and that improper waste separation "can be very costly".
They also indicate that any waste left outside the bins requires an additional service, incurring a higher cost compared to correct disposal. In the first six months, 835,772 kg of organic waste (41.54 kg/inhabitant) and 1,385,134 kg of reject waste (68.84 kg/inhabitant) were collected. Incorrect sorting increases the fees by 46.5% and 10%, respectively.
The City Council aims to regain the 67% selective collection target from 2021, emphasizing that citizen collaboration is essential to achieve this. Any gesture or new habit can contribute, considering that the cost of poor recycling is tiered and exponential.
