The Canary Government concluded this Thursday in Santa Cruz de La Palma its tour across the Archipelago to explain to councils and municipalities the FEDER call that will finance the separate collection of bio-waste. The municipalities of La Palma will be able to apply for aid to implement the brown bin.
The Salazar Palace in Santa Cruz de La Palma hosted this Thursday the last of the nine meetings that the Canary Government has held throughout the Archipelago to detail the new FEDER Funds call aimed at the separate collection of organic waste. The meeting, which brought together representatives from the Cabildo, the Services Consortium, and the municipalities of the island, marks the starting point for the municipalities of La Palma to apply for funding to implement the so-called fifth container or brown bin.
What the call finances and why it is key
The call, which will open in the coming weeks, is designed for each municipality to set up from scratch the separate collection of the organic fraction: food scraps, pruning waste, and garden waste that today end up mixed in the grey container and, for the most part, in the landfill. The objective is twofold: to comply with the waste law, which already requires the separate collection of bio-waste, and to reduce the amount of waste that is buried, taking advantage of scraps that can be turned into compost.
For the municipalities of La Palma, the meeting was not just a formality. The funding from this call largely depends on whether Santa Cruz de La Palma, Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso, or any other town can finance the bins, trucks, and campaigns necessary for the separation of organic waste to truly work in every household.
La Palma, with homework ahead
At the meeting in the Salazar Palace were the Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy, Mariano Hernández Zapata; the General Director of Environmental Quality, Ángel Montañés; and the island councilor for the Waste area, Fernando González, along with technicians from the Cabildo and the municipalities. Hernández Zapata reminded attendees that the circular economy will only be possible if local entities are supported with funding, tools, and technical advice.
“The circular economy will only be possible if we support local entities with funding, tools, and technical advice.”
The Ministry did not limit itself to announcing the funding. It offered a free technical support service, provided by the Technical Office of Circular Economy (OTEC), to help municipalities prepare and submit their Expressions of Interest —the first document required to apply for the funds— and to update municipal waste ordinances. For smaller municipalities, which often lack specialized technical staff, this assistance can make the difference between being excluded or included.
An opportunity not to fall behind
Municipalities that could not attend any of the nine in-person sessions will have one last chance: a telematic meeting through which the Ministry aims to ensure that no local entity misses out on the information. The call is part of the Canary Islands Strategy for Circular Economy 2021-2030 and the Circular Economy Action Plan 2024-2026, which set ambitious recycling targets for the Archipelago.
For the residents of La Palma, the news has a direct impact: in the coming months, their municipality could start distributing brown bins and explaining how to separate organic waste. If everything goes as planned, the fifth container will cease to be a promise and become a daily reality. The question is whether the municipalities of La Palma manage to submit their applications on time and not miss the opportunity for European funds.
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