The policy instrument linked to the 2LIFES project in the municipality of Gijón (Spain) is the Municipal Integral Waste Plan of Gijón, valid from 2018 to 2022. One of the main objectives of this Plan is to increase the percentage of waste destined for re-use and recycling following the objectives established at European level.
In that sense, initiatives in other European regions in the framework of the 2LIFES project helped implement good practices in Gijón. EMULSA's Action Plan is split in two actions: improving the re-use centre and Reusapp through green and social employment and swapping sites and developing mobile Repair Cafes.
In 2018, EMULSA launched a project called Reusapp, by which the citizens of Gijón can take to a recycling centre the objects they no longer want or need. EMULSA documents and uploads such products to an app where any citizen can see and book for free the items that may interest them. Through the new Action Plan, EMULSA aims to improve this initiative in two aspects.
On the one hand, the generation of green and social jobs will be sought through public/private collaboration with a local social enterprise, which in turn will help improve the current service provided. Therefore, EMULSA will carry out a tender using a reserved contract to enhance Reusapp in terms of opening hours, management, and customer service whilst creating job opportunities for people at risk of social exclusion. A monthly workshop promoting the culture of re-use and waste prevention will also be provided.
On the other hand, with the aim to bring re-use closer to the citizen, small swapping spaces will be developed on public roads, thus avoiding the need to travel to the recycling centre. This last action is inspired by the study visit carried out in November 2021 to Aarhus (Denmark) and the Swapbox project developed there. Swapboxes are spaces with a pleasant aesthetic that allow citizens who want to get rid of an object still in good condition to deposit it in a specific space, so that any interested person can take it free of charge.
Finally, the second action of the Action Plan is to encourage and promote Repair Cafés more regularly. For that purpose, EMULSA aims to develop a Rolling Repair Van – a measure already developed by 2LIFES partner Kredslob in Aarhus. On the one hand, the vehicle serves as an advertising claim to promote re-use and repair. On the other hand, it can be used as a mobile Repair Café which get closer to the citizens by going to events, ecological markets, etc. In collaboration with a social enterprise or NGO, this mobile Repair Café will provide a help service to citizens for the repair of small household products.
The final Action Plan can be read here.
