During the past year, an average of 1,081 containers per inhabitant were deposited in the yellow container and 628 in the blue container, which means that each person recycled 13.2 kg of cans, plastic and bricks containers and 15.5 kg of paper and cardboard in 2016. These figures equate to an increase of 4% and 2.7% respectively.

The recycling rate breaks down as follows: the most recycled were metal containers -soda or tin cans- which reached a rate of 84.8%, followed by paper and cardboard waste with 82.3% and, in last place, by plastic, which reached 66.5%.

Navarra, at the head

At the head of recycling are placed, once again, the citizens of Navarra, being those who have contributed more kilos per capita to both the yellow container (20.7 kg/inhabitant) and the blue (38.6 kg/inhabitant).

With regard to the yellow container, the ranking was followed by the citizens of Madrid (20.4 kg/inhabitant) and the Balearic Islands (18.8 kg/inhabitant). In the case of the blue container, the Balearic Islands came second (32.4 kg/inhabitant) and the Balearic Islands third (31.6 kg/inhabitant). These autonomous communities have also topped the list in previous years.

In addition, it also seems that the citizens recycle better, since the rate of improprieties – the materials that are deposited incorrectly in the container – supposes 23%, whereas in 1997 it supposed more than 40%. Oscar Martín, the delegate council of this entity, has pointed out that “the interest in the environment is only increasing” and that these data are possible thanks to “the work done by society”.

He has also pointed out that, thanks to the joint work with more than 8,000 municipalities, there is currently “a container every 100 meters” to make a total of 380,000 yellow and 201,000 blue. In 2016 this collection network increased by almost 15,000 units.