The environmental organization Margalló–Ecologistes en Acció (EeA) has focused on municipal waste management in Elche, denouncing years of administrative opacity, legal non-compliance, and a clear lack of planning in a service exceeding 28 million euros annually. Through several formal requests registered in July 2025 and the latest in March 2026, the entity demands access to key information that, it stresses, should be public and accessible according to current legislation.
Margalló's warnings are supported by documents sent by the Generalitat's Directorate General for Quality and Environmental Education. These documents, shared by the collective, reinforce some of these complaints and show that non-compliance could lead to economic and sanctioning consequences for the city council.
“"There is no record of the effective implementation of selective organic waste collection in your municipality."
In one of the official letters, the Elche City Council is reminded of its obligation to implement separate bio-waste collection, a legal requirement that should have been met before June 30, 2022. The lack of this collection not only constitutes a legal breach but also limits recycling capacity and increases the volume of waste destined for landfill. The report warns that this non-compliance could be considered a serious infraction, with economic sanctions ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 euros.
Furthermore, the Generalitat reminds that local entities had to approve a fee reflecting the real cost of waste collection and treatment services before April 2025, in accordance with Law 7/2022. Non-compliance with these obligations can result in the loss of public subsidies for waste management, directly affecting the municipality's ability to finance improvements in the waste management system.
Among Margalló's main demands is access to the Local Waste Management Plan, mandatory for municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. This document, essential for planning waste collection, treatment, and reduction, has not been provided despite repeated requests. They also demand the updating of the Municipal Cleaning Ordinance, in force since 2003 and amended in 2007, which they consider completely outdated.
“"The City Council's silence not only violates the right to access public information but also prevents citizen participation in an issue that directly affects health and the environment."
The collective also questions the destination of public funds, demanding to know how much money has been allocated between 2020 and 2025 to the burial of waste at the Els Cremats mountain plant Consortium, instead of opting for its recycling or valorization. Likewise, it questions the degree of compliance with the contract signed in December 2020 with the concessionary companies, Urbaser and FCC Medio Ambiente, especially regarding investments in awareness and environmental education.
Another critical point highlighted by Margalló is the application of the waste fee, which they call “tasazo” (a play on words meaning 'big tax'), designed to incentivize source separation. They denounce that its implementation in Elche has generated confusion and presents equity problems, affecting vulnerable households and small businesses more.
