Household rubbish

The rubbish (garbage) produced in homes -also called "Solid Urban Waste" (SUW)- is a potential source of energy and raw materials that can be exploited through suitable treatment.

Each person generates an average 620 kilos of rubbish a year. It is estimated that 65% can be exploited through recycling, the rest going to landfills or incinerators.

In order to recycle, the materials need to be separated at source. The consumer is a key element in ensuring that the whole process functions.

There are often other containers and collection services for batteries, medicaments, cloth, furniture, household appliances and other items that have reached the end of their working life.

• Yellow container: packaging of the Tetra-Brik type, plastic bottles and metal cans, plastic packaging.
• Blue container: paper and cardboard.
• Green container: organic waste (general).
• Igloo-type green container: glass.
• Brown container: cooked and uncooked vegetable waste, nuts, bread, biscuits, paper with food remains, etc.

• For each tonne of glass recycled, 1,200 kg of raw materials and 130 kg of fuel are saved.
• Each tonne of paper recycled avoids 14 trees being cut down, and also 50,000 litres of water and over 300 kg of oil.