The consumer association Facua is asking the citizens of the Gran Canaria capital to request the refund of the tax declared null by the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands. The City Council has 30 working days to respond.
The Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) has annulled the waste tax of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Facua has already launched a campaign for residents to claim their money back. The consumer organization offers a free form on its website to submit the request to the City Council.
A ruling that opens the door to claims
The judicial ruling, known this July, declares null the fiscal ordinance regulating the tax. According to Rubén Sánchez, general secretary of Facua, the design of the tax does not comply with European waste regulations, which require prevention and recycling criteria. "The tax is being poorly designed and with a revenue-raising intent," he denounced.
The City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has chosen to wait the 30 working days of legal deadline before stating its position. Sánchez described this wait as "unacceptable" and demanded "a demonstration of political responsibility" to return the money to taxpayers.
How to claim the refund?
Facua has made available on its website facua.org/canarias a downloadable form that citizens can fill out and submit at the municipal registry. The association recommends attaching the payment receipt and requesting the annulment of the charge or the refund of the amount.
"It is not about applying any waste tax. The amount you recycle should be a point in your favour to pay less," Sánchez explained.
Facua's campaign began at the end of 2025 and has intensified following the ruling. The organization reminds that the issue is not just the amount, but the very design of the tax, which does not link payment to the recycling behaviour of the citizen.
A precedent affecting all of the Canary Islands
Although the ruling directly affects the residents of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Facua warns that other Canary municipalities may have similar taxes. The organization urges citizens to review their receipts and, in case of doubt, to claim. "The Justice has said that it was not appropriate to charge this way," Sánchez emphasized.
For the resident of the capital, the process is simple: download the form, fill it out with their details and receipt number, and submit it to the City Hall. Facua recommends doing it via electronic registry or in person to leave a record.
Meanwhile, the City Council is considering whether to appeal the ruling or redesign the tax. European regulations do not establish a closed model, but they do require proportionality. "It does not provide a manual of instructions, and that is the big problem," Sánchez concluded.
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