The Government of the Region of Murcia, Ecoembes and the Federation of Municipalities, present the 2023 Recycling Awards in their seventh edition at a meeting with the mayors of the three winning municipalities.
Beniel has won the first prize thanks to each of its inhabitants depositing 37,7 kilos of plastic, metal, carton, paper and cardboard containers in the yellow and blue containers. Alguazas and Alcantarillas have taken the two second prizes.
Beniel, June 24, 2024 – Last year, the residents of Beniel deposited the most plastic and metal containers, beverage cartons, paper, and cardboard in the yellow and blue recycling bins, making this municipality the top recycler in the entire Region of Murcia. Specifically, each resident deposited 37,7 kilos of these materials in the colored bins on the streets. The municipalities of Alguazas and Alcantarilla were also recognized for their environmental awareness, having increased the use of these containers and contributing to the growing popularity of recycling in more and more households.
The awards ceremony was held in Beniel, the municipality that won the first prize, and its mayor, Mari Carmen Morales, was the host. She was also attended by the mayors of Alguazas and Alcantarilla, who received the awards from the hands of the Director General of the Environment of the Region of Murcia, Juan Antonio Mata; the president of the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, Víctor Manuel López; and the manager of Local and Autonomous Management of Ecoembes for the Region of Murcia, Juan Carlos Arranz.
These awards are part of the “Recycling Awards” initiative, jointly organised by the Government of the Region of Murcia through the General Directorate of the Environment, Ecoembes and the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia.
The competition, which was broadcast last year in different waves on radio stations with coverage in the Region of Murcia, in the main regional digital press headlines and on social networks, was part of the regional citizen awareness campaign “El Mundo”. A campaign whose objective is to show the relevant role that packaging recycling plays within the circular economy, to mobilize citizens to deposit plastic containers, cans and cartons in the yellow containers and paper and cardboard containers in the blue containers.
In previous editions, these awards have contributed to regenerating and modernising the neighbourhood environment with initiatives such as improving children's playgrounds, incorporating bio-healthy equipment to encourage exercise among the elderly, or projects aimed at optimising the selective collection of packaging.
Juan Antonio Mata, Director General of the Environment, commented that "the citizens of the Region of Murcia are demonstrating their commitment and shared responsibility to move towards sustainability, as evidenced by the unstoppable growth of recycling year after year in the region." Regarding the winning municipality, its mayor, Mari Carmen Morales , pointed out that "Beniel is positioning itself as the regional benchmark in the field of the circular economy and recycling."
For his part, Víctor Manuel López, president of the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia , emphasized that, “although today’s meeting reflects the commitment to recycling by the region’s municipalities, we still have a long way to go. The municipal waste targets set by Europe, and mandatory under Law 7/22 on Waste and Contaminated Soils for a Circular Economy, are demanding. Therefore, in this context of challenges, burdens, and scarce municipal resources, I believe the role of the FMRM is fundamental because it informs, mobilizes, and organizes the municipalities of the Region of Murcia, creating common fronts, contributing resources, and ultimately, facilitating the adoption of circular economy measures by local entities.”
To these words, Juan Carlos Arranz, Ecoembes' Local and Regional Management Manager for the Region of Murcia, added that “recycling is a fundamental habit for moving towards a circular economy and, fortunately, the people of Murcia are recycling more and better every day. At Ecoembes, we work with the authorities to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of giving packaging a second life through this simple action, and these awards show us that more and more people are doing it.”
About Ecoembes
Ecoembes has been promoting the recycling of household plastic, metal, carton, wood, paper and cardboard packaging in Spain since 1997. Its purpose is to work towards a future without waste through reduction, reuse and recycling, leaving a positive impact on society and the environment. In 2023, Ecoembes recycled almost 1,7 million tons of the packaging it manages, 3,5% more than the previous year. Ecoembes' activity is not for profit, it is regulated by Law 7/2022 and Royal Decree 1055/2022 and more than 14.000 companies trust it to make the recycling of their packaging possible. From 2025, Ecoembes will also be responsible for the management of commercial and industrial packaging, thus offering a solution to the new obligations established by the regulation for companies.
More information: https://www.ecoembestransparencia.com/
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