The PSOE has responded to remarks made by the Sustainability Minister of the Tenerife Council, Blanca Pérez, regarding the perceived “inaction”, “paralysis”, and “stagnation” in waste management and recycling on the island during the previous socialist-led mandate. Javier Rodríguez Medina, the former island councilor for Sustainable Development (2019-2023), refutes these assertions, emphasizing the “vital progress” the previous administration made in this area, including milestones such as the refurbishment of the packaging facility and the disposal of 8,000 tons of tires at the Environmental Complex of Tenerife (CAT), situated in Arico.
Medina elaborates: “The data substantiates the efforts and substantial achievements over the course of four years, during which unprecedented actions were taken.” He highlights the “contract award for waste management on the Island,” the largest in the history of the Cabildo, amounting to nearly 400 million euros, which had been expired since December 31, 2014, “constituting a highly serious irregularity that necessitated annual objections from the presidents, totaling 25 million euros. This issue has since been resolved.”
Another significant achievement is “the dismantling of 8,000 tons of CAT tires, a veritable graveyard, which had a profoundly negative environmental and scenic impact.” The former councilor recalls the incident in Seseña (Toledo) in 2016 when 70,000 tons burnt. Additionally, the socialist underscores the commissioning of the biostabilization plant, also at the former PIRS, “where 76,000 tons of waste are currently being processed each year in the landfill cell.”
Rodríguez Medina also emphasizes “the upgrade of the packaging facility where all materials collected in the numerous yellow containers are processed.” This sorting and processing facility “had been deemed obsolete since 2008.” He explains, “A three-million-euro automation project was initiated, in addition to a job reassignment following a serious workplace accident. The performance improved, and incidents decreased.”
The former insular councilor rejects the alleged inaction, stating, “It is noteworthy that those making these claims are merely dwelling on the past without any proposition for a potential change in approach.” Javier Rodríguez invites the government team to “resume the initiative” of establishing recycling industries in a CAT industrial estate, the Management Area plot number 2 (AG2), “a brilliant proposal conceived by the retired civil servant Francisco Hernández.” He adds, “We had the dossier prepared, and yet, no progress has been made, despite the fact that organic matter remains a significant outstanding issue, despite extensive discourse on the circular economy.” The socialist councilor concludes, “In December, I inquired about the priorities, and the counselor mentioned composting and the probable installation of a plant on Birmagen Mountain, southwest of Santa Cruz. The insular director (Alejandro Molowny) confirmed that they had not even initiated the process.
One Hundred Trucks Transport 5 Tons of Waste to Arico CAT Daily
The ‘Tenerife+Sostenible’ Forum reveals that the Cabildo assigns 2.5 million annually for sustainability research and development
Every day, between 100 and 110 waste collection trucks transport five tons of refuse to the Tenerife Environmental Complex (CAT) in Arico. This is one of the revelations made during the II Tenerife+Sostenible Forum, held at the Higher School of Engineering and Technology of the University of La Laguna (ULL). It was also disclosed that the Cabildo allocates 2.5 million euros per year (provided in two annual installments) for sustainability research and development.
The island’s Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability and Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, led an event that scrutinizes the existing state of waste management and reuse and the pressing need to initiate measures to enhance source separation and bolster selective packaging collection on the Island, among other actions.
“This meeting is necessitated by the need to examine and deliberate on the issue of waste with all societal stakeholders,” says Pérez, who adds, “Including in the university setting, from the standpoint of comprehensive project and concept research and development.”.
The counselor alerts that “the situation on the Island is critical, with exceedingly low recovery rates, necessitating the need to raise awareness among citizens regarding separation and recycling.” Furthermore, she expresses, “The data reflects a concerning decline in collection and separation.”
Blanca Pérez, accompanied by the insular director of Waste, Alejandro Molowny, and the vice-rector of Sustainability at ULL, Candela Díaz, calls for “collective commitment.”
Alejandro Molowny emphasizes that “the best waste is that which is not generated.” He underscores that in Tenerife, by 2023, “550,000 tons of waste will be brought to the CAT.” Candela Díaz highlights the Cabildo’s dedication to promoting research with a focus on the Campus-Tage program. | JDM
