Mataró is preparing to approve a new €160 million contract for street cleaning, beach maintenance, selective waste collection, bulky item pick-up, and recycling centres. The proposal, set for approval at an extraordinary plenary session on 18 May, will run from 2026 to 2034. It includes more staff and machinery, new containers, and an expanded recycling centre model, according to Mayor David Bote, Urban Ecology Councillor Xesco Gomar, and Junts per Mataró spokesperson Alfons Canela.
The contract aims to meet citizen needs for proximity and 24/7 availability, comply with selective collection regulations, and introduce a fair waste fee. It also addresses new social and climate circumstances. The administrative process will begin with the plenary session's approval of the tender documents.
Enhancing Street Cleaning Operations
The new street cleaning model focuses on increased mechanisation, flexibility, and efficiency. It calls for an additional 13 staff members, bringing the total to 68 people dedicated to street cleaning, and eight new machines, making a total of 12. This will allow for more pressure-water cleaning teams, reinforced attention to 'black spots' (areas with persistent litter), and specific teams for emptying bins and removing weeds.
For the seafront and beaches, the contract includes renewed specialised machinery and extended services, particularly during festive periods such as Sant Joan and Les Santes.
Boosting Selective Waste Collection
The city aims for citizens to have easy access to containers 24/7, combining different collection models. The implementation of these new models will involve analysing the characteristics of each neighbourhood and engaging residents to ensure effective deployment. Current regulations require selective collection rates to exceed 70%, which will involve introducing user identification systems and applying a fair fee to waste bills.
The new contract will also see the replacement of machinery, the introduction of new, larger, anti-vandalism containers, and a new fleet of sustainable vehicles, with 69% being electric. Teams for pre-collection of containers before the emptying lorry arrives will increase, as will teams cleaning the interior and exterior of containers. The current commercial collection service is also set for expansion.
Expanding Bulky Item and Textile Collection
The home collection service for bulky items will continue under the new contract, with an additional team. The city will also maintain its commitment to collecting domestic oil via closed containers and will continue to use its network of containers and collaborating shops for second-hand clothing collection, promoting reuse. The new Circular Economy Park will support this initiative, reinforcing Mataró's goal of becoming a sustainable city where reducing waste generation is a priority.
New Recycling Centre Model
A significant change in the contract is the deployment of a new recycling centre system. Mataró will retain its main fixed recycling centre on Carrer Galícia in the La Llàntia neighbourhood. Two mobile van-format recycling centres will travel across the city on a scheduled timetable. A key new feature will be the creation of three neighbourhood recycling centres, located in Cerdanyola, Rocafonda, and Pla d'en Boet-Eixample. These new facilities aim to make recycling more accessible to residents throughout the city.
