Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia - Diputación Foral de Bizkaia

Background. An Evolutionary Road

Garbiker is a 100% public company, belonging to the Regional Council of Bizkaia ascribed to the Department of the Environment, founded in 1986. It is directed by a Board of Directors chaired by the Environment Secretary who delegates the management of the same in a Managing Director.
 
Garbiker was established to serve as an essential instrument to make radical changes in the management of the urban waste generated in Bizkaia, providing a guarantee and transparency for private initiatives.

The company provides an equal waste treatment service –equal service, equal payment– characterized by respect for the Environment and a professionalized management.

Garbiker’s initial task focused on managing Controlled Tips and, as from 1991, the company also took charge of constructing and managing UW (Urban Waste) Transfer Plants. Their purpose was to avoid increased transport costs for the municipal districts at some distance from the corresponding Controlled Tips.

Later, Garbiker’ activity aligned with the guidelines arising from the Integral USW Management Plan in the Historic Territory of Bizkaia (1997-2001), (2001-2007) and the recent passing of the new Integral Urban Solid Waste Management Plan in Bizkaia (2005-2016), recycling now being one of the main tasks in which the company is involved.

Apart from the direct operational responsibility of the Controlled Tips for Urban and Inert Waste and Transfer Plants for Urban Waste, the company manages packing – yellow container – which is collected on a selective basis in 108 municipal districts in Bizkaia and in five municipal districts in Alava. Other activity includes attending to and servicing the network of 23 Garbigunes -Waste Disposal Services- (or clean points) covered by the Plan for Bizkaia, assisting in all assessment and providing specialized environmental services to the Town Councils in Bizkaia.

Garbiker also takes part in environmental entrepreneurial initiatives such as the participating companies:
- BZB-BPB (Garbiker – Trienekens)
- BTB (Garbiker – Pavisa)
- Biogarbiker (Garbiker – EVE, Ente Vasco de la Energía – Basque Energy Body)
- Berziklatu (Garbiker – Rezikleta – Emaus)

Garbiker develops a wide range of activities backed by considerable investments in infrastructures and technology. This can be checked with the implementation of highly efficient, high environmental performance management models, which have deserved it the recognition of various organizations, some international, such as ISR, ISWA and ATEGRUS, receiving diverse awards: the Silver Brush 2000, the Gold Brush 2002, the Ategrus 2004 Special Mention and the Platinum Brush 2006.