Costa del Sol
Innovative solid waste management proposed for Vélez Málaga
By m.p.
Mar 5, 2008 - 4:35 PM

A protocol of intent was signed in Vélez Málaga on Wednesday by the Partido Popular Mayor, Francisco Delgado Bonilla, and the Dutch company Vulcanes for what will be Spain’s first ecological treatment plant for the disposal of solid urban waste. It allows 99% of the material to be recycled and no prior separation of the waste is necessary beforehand.

The Town Hall said in a press release on Wednesday that the waste is steam-cooked in pressurised containers at a temperature of 160oC for 45 minutes, and is at the same time automatically separated into recyclable materials. The plant, which would have the capacity to treat waste from other towns in the district, would be powered by fuels produced from the resultant organic fibre. Plastics recovered from the steaming process would be transferred into liquid fuel.

The site the Town Hall has in mind is in the Taramillas area next to the sewage treatment plant. The Mayor said he hopes to obtain European funding towards the 70 million € cost and mentioned that a number of companies and banks have already expressed an interest in taking part.