Starting from 10 January EMULSA started an information campaign, in the neighborhoods of La Arena and Polígono de Pumarín, to recruit 750 volunteer household units to provide data on the amounts and types of waste they generate as well as their final deposit in the containers. The aim is to analyse these anonymous statistical data and being able to establish the technical and administrative bases, which would allow the possible implementation of a payment system based on generation, instead of the current “straight line rubbish collection fee”.
The study, with a total budget of 80.225 Euros and a term of six months, is one of the components of EMULSA Action Plan. It plans to determine the amount of waste deposited per inhabitant and flow, analyze the behavior in the generation and separation of waste at source, define the type of standardized bags on which the pricing system would be applied, define the different variables of a foreseeable PAYT system, establish the values of the different variables of the availability rate (fixed rate), establish specific values of unit prices by type of disposal bag and define the different variables and feasibility analysis of the implementation of a pay-as-you-throw system throughout the Gijón council.
In addition, it is intended, as a main objective, to arise awareness in the people participating in the project to reduce the waste generated and increase the selective collection of waste, contribute to increase the percentages in selective collection percentages in those areas participating in the pilot project, analyze the level of acceptance of the mentioned pay-as-you-throw system, as well as detect possible weaknesses or blockages in citizens. By this project EMULSA intends to raise awareness about the PAYT system by means of the knowledge of the waste generated (know-as-you-throw), improving the quality of selective collection and promoting it through the interaction of citizens, so Gijón could reach as soon as possible the 50% municipal recycling rate set by the European Union, compared to the current 37% in Gijón.
In order to carry out this study, a volunteer recruitment campaign is carried out until 4 February, through the installation of informative points in different streets of the two selected neighborhoods. These info points are both fixed and mobile. These last ones will vary their location on a daily basis, where eight street informers from EMULSA will advice about the project, providing information and helping volunteers with the registration.
Besides, within 11 January and 4 February, the 15 schools in the areas selected will be visited in order to make known the project among the students and their families. A mail campaign in 500 buildings and two informative talks in neighbor associations shall be carried out. Also, shops and business shall be informed and visited in order to encourage the participation in the experience and help as standardized bag supply point. 4.000 leaflets and 500 posters shall be distributed.
Families participating in the voluntary data collection will be eligible for different awards along the project provided by the different collaborating entities, such as Alimerka Supermarkets, Real Sporting de Gijón football club, as well as different municipal entities and EMULSA.
Detailed info about the project may be found in: https://www.separamasypagamenos.com
About the project: https://www.separamasypagamenos.com/formacion/el-proyecto-separa-mas-y-paga-menosFAQ’s: https://www.separamasypagamenos.com/formacion/preguntas-frecuentes-y-falsos-mitos
About the App: https://www.separamasypagamenos.com/formacion/la-app-separa-mas-y-paga-menos
About the standardized disposal bags: https://www.separamasypagamenos.com/formacion/las-bolsas-del-proyecto
