ASPLARSEM (Asociación de Empresas de Recuperación y Selección de Envases de Residuos Municipales, Association of Municipal Waste Packaging Recovery and Selection Companies) held a training seminar in Logroño on 25 and 26 October with the title “Improved efficiency in selection processes. How to move from 85% to 95%?” The seminar included the awarding of the prizes in the third Ideas competition in the categories for Improving the Quality and Quantity of Materials Recovery and Improvement in the Prevention of Occupational Risks.

The entries from the waste treatment centres (WTC) in Segovia and Valladolid, belonging to the Castile and Leon branch of FCC Medio Ambiente (the Spanish brand for FCC Environment), were awarded the third and fourth prizes, respectively. The entry from Segovia was entitled “LDPE barn Pneumatic impulsion improvements” and that of Valladolid, “LDPE Pneumatic aspiration improvements,” both were designed to improve the production processes on light packaging waste treatment lines.

The Segovia centre serves 155,652 inhabitants and has been managed by FCC since 2001. In 2016, it handled 61,913 tonnes of solid urban wastes and 1,836 tonnes of light packaging. The Valladolid WTC serves 523,679 inhabitants and has been managed by the Planta de Tratamiento JV since 2002, with FCC holding a 90% stake. In 2016, it handled 173,101 tonnes of solid urban wastes and 2,198 tonnes of light packaging waste.

The Castile and Leon branch of FCC Medio Ambiente is committed to the spirit of continuous improvement in the facilities it operates and these awards strengthen this commitment.
ASPLARSEM currently has 68 packaging waste selection plants throughout Spain that handle a total of 526,000 tonnes of refuse, more than 65% of the packaging material obtained from selective collection.