Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia - Diputación Foral de Bizkaia

Packaging materials protect products, ensure their conservation and hygiene, help with their identification and facilitate their transport and storage.

Nevertheless, the excessive consumption of packaged products has become an environmental problem which we must all resolve together.

What do I achieve by recycling packaging materials?

• I save raw materials and energy.
• I help to reduce the contamination of the air and water.
• I send less rubbish to controlled landfills.

How are packaging materials recycled?

• Once the packaging materials have been collected, they are taken to a plant for separation and classification and are sent subsequently to the corresponding recycling plants.

Normative

• The European normative established specific procedures for the management of packaging materials and their waste products in Directive 94/62/CE
• The Overall Waste management Plan of Bizkaia, approved by the General Councils of Bizkaia on May 26 1997, guarantees compliance with these regulations with the support of everyone concerned. Link to Garbinet. Documentation. Overall Municipal Solid Waste Plan.
• The Plan supports the quality recycling of the materials contained in rubbish bags and, consequently, the selective collecting of glass, paper-cardboard and light packaging materials.
• The Province of Bizkaia plans to recycle (material upgrading) 13,000 tonnes/year of packaging waste, 38% of the total. Upgrading will reach a figure of 62%.
• Law 11/1997, April 24, on packaging materials and packaging waste (link to the Law) aims to prevent and reduce the impact on the environment of packaging materials and the management of packaging waste throughout their life cycle. (Article 1.)
• The objectives it sets are a 50% minimum and a 65% maximum upgrading, by weight, of all packaging material waste. A minimum of 25% and 45% maximum will be upgraded materially (recycled). At least 10% of the weight of packaging materials will be reduced. (Art. 5.)
• Packaging materials will be identified by means of symbols, either on the packaging material itself or on a label. The marketing of packaging materials with the "non returnable" marking will be forbidden" (Articles 7 and 14.)
• Consumers, users and organisation shall be informed about the contents of this law. (Art. 16.)
• ECOEMBES and ECOVIDRIO are the non profit making companies that guarantee the correct operation of the Overall Packaging materials and Packaging Waste Management System.