Speakers representing the local councils of Málaga, Madrid and Murcia as well as the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), among others also participated in the meeting.

The need for cooperation between public authorities, private companies and the public, a necessary alliance to promote innovation and to attain sustainability and efficiency in municipal services, was discussed during the forum. The experts also agreed on the need to incorporate innovation as an incentive in the tender documents for contracting public services.

Representing FCC in the forum, Alfonso García García, FCC Medio Ambiente’s Director of Technical Services, explained the company’s achievements regarding innovation in electrical mobility and GNC engines for municipal services vehicles. He emphasised that the collaboration of councils with services companies allowed the municipalities to benefit from these important advances. He also noted that the tender documents from the councils should value aspects of technological quality and that the Public Procurement Law should stimulate innovation and include technological incentives.

Some speakers stressed the high weight waste collection means on municipal budget, so it is critical to optimise this management, which is very complex, requiring planning, technological innovation and the experience and knowledge of companies, always bearing in mind the  needs of the public.

Fotografías realizadas por Mauricio Skrycky/ En la imagen, de izquierda a derecha: Eduardo Fernández Jiménez, Dirección de Innovación de Urbaser; Alfonso García, director Servicios Técnicos de FCC Medio Ambiente; Miguel Hernández, del Institut Cerdà, moderador; Pilar Vázquez Palacios, presidenta de ANEPMA; Rafael Fernández García Director de Proyectos de España, de Ferrovial Servicios; y María de la O Terciado Martínez, directora de Mejora e Innovación de Valoriza.