Page 95 - economic report 2021

includes all waste generated in the country, such as As for recycling, there was a decline in total recycled
household waste (municipal waste and similar waste amounts in 2021, although the trend by type was not
from commerce, industry and institutions, including uniform: light packaging increased 1.6%; while glass
selective collection) and all waste exported directly decreased 4.2%, and paper and cardboard -7.3%. The
by waste managers to recovery and/or disposal decreased recycling in glass and paper and cardboard
plants. Not included is earth and stone waste from but not in light packaging could be caused by two
construction, of which 220,007 t were exported factors: on the one hand, the partial closure of hotel
for recovery, a figure that represents an increase of and catering and commercial establishments and, on
43% since 2020 (when 153,791 t were exported). In the other hand, the increase in packaged products
relation to 2020, 4,395 t more waste were generated. produced during the pandemic. Moreover, in 2021,
Note that 2021, like 2020, was characterised by the the amount collected from major producers, such as
special measures taken during the emergency health large supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and schools,
situation caused by coronavirus. Although in 2021 saw a slight decline, related to the partial or total
there was no lockdown of the population, some closure of some establishments voluntarily taking part
restrictions were maintained that prevented economic in this scheme. So, it went from 1,198 t in 2019 to
activity from reverting to pre-pandemic conditions. 795 t in 2020 and 768 t in 2021, below the set goal of
Notably, the decrease in some types of municipal 1,000 t per year.
waste, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), which fell
3.1%, or paper and card, which fell 7.3%; and there As for energy recovery, household waste and waste
were also falls in glass and organic matter of 4.2% treated as municipal waste are burnt at the Waste
and 3.4%, respectively. In the case of light packaging, Treatment Centre (CTR), so that part of the energy can
there was a slight increase of 1.6%, and the collection be recovered through combustion as electricity and,
of bulky waste grew significantly, by 47%. On the from 2020, as heat, which is used in the new district
other hand, in the case of non-municipal waste, there heating system in Andorra la Vella. In 2021, 38,172 t 93
were also slight decreases in all types of waste except of Andorran waste were received at the plant, a lower
construction-related waste. Finally, the amount of figure than the 40,009 t in 2020. To this waste must
sanitary waste generated was quite similar to 2020. be added the 8,683 t of pre-treated solid municipal
waste from Cerdanya (Spain), under the Government
In the last review of the National Waste Plan (PNR) authorisation to import a maximum of 10,000 t per
for the period 2017-2020, the recycling target set year, representing 18.9% of the total waste recovered
for 2020 was 50% (including preparation for reuse), by the CTR. The energy recovered from all the waste
in keeping with the criteria in Directive 2008/98/ generated 16,889 MWh of electricity, which was
EC on waste. Selective collection is well-established injected into the FEDA electricity network, and 5,115
today in this country which means that, for the main MWh of thermal power, which was injected into the
recyclable portions that are collected selectively FEDA-Ecoterm district heating network.
(paper and cardboard, glass and packaging), the result
of global recycling obtained in 2021, despite the slight On the other hand, the Regulations to reduce plastic
decrease in generated amounts, was 47%, a similar bag consumption that came into force in November
value to 2020 and close to the established target for 2017 have enabled most large stores and supermarkets
2020 (50%). to wholly substitute plastic carrier bags with bags
made of other materials. In 2021, a saving of more
Specifically, in 2021, a total of 46,409 t of municipal than 136,000 plastic bags was made at large stores
waste was managed (compared with 51,331 t in 2020), and supermarkets, meaning that the use of plastic The Andorran economy: developments in the main sectors | XII. Services
of which 15,419 t were recycled, while 30,352 t were bags in this kind of centre is marginal. Remember that
recovered as energy, the process that minimises the in 2017, more than 3 million plastic bags were being
volume of waste through combustion, The rest went used every year in these establishments.
for preparation for reuse or disposal.

Source: Government of Andorra.