The new garbage tariff in Spain, which will come into force in April 2025, will not affect all taxpayers equally, since the tax will vary considerably between cities. With a minimum of 53 euros in Valladolid and a maximum of up to 224 euros in Malagathe objective of the fee is for each municipality to cover the entire cost of urban waste management.
Municipal councils have already started to adapt your waste ratesgenerating large gaps between cities. The most populated city of Castilla y León, for example, will apply one of the lowest rates, which will vary from 53 to 97 euros, with an average around 70. For its part, in the Andalusian city the tax is based on 93 euros and can go up to 224 euros depending on water consumption.
And this new tax figure forced localities to apply real rates, eliminating previous subsidies and applying the principle of “The polluter pays”. This is not a whim of the municipalities, but the consequence of an article of Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soil.
Europe Press
This rule requires municipalities to create – or modify, if it already existed – a non-deficit ratethat is, it is used to effectively finance waste management. But, at the same time, since it is a fee and not a tax, the collection cannot under any circumstances exceed the cost of the service. Hence the disparities between municipalities.
Each city determined the amount based on local factors, such as the cost of service and the number of annual collections. In cities like Barcelonathe range oscillates between 100 and 150 eurosadapted to the size of the house and the waste generated. In other places, like Bilbao and Zaragozathe average price is around 120 and 100 eurosrespectively, although this may vary depending on waste sorting.
Another famous case is that of Madridwhose trash price will vary from 120 to 160 euros. On average, residents of the Spanish capital will have to pay 141 euros for this tribute.
The lack of uniform guidelines in the law itself has allowed each municipal council to determine its own tariff, leading to uneven cost coverage and a significant increase in some cities. In fact, experts estimate that there will be a sharp increase in disputeswhile claims for this new tax figure will multiply.
What is clear is that the vast majority of citizens will have to face an increase in what they pay to their respective municipalities. And the waste rate will become second figure of municipal tax to be collected after the Real Estate Tax (IBI). In this context, some municipalities are already starting to announce relief measures for taxpayers.
In Madrid, the City Hall has chosen reduce the ICI as a compensatory measureseeking to reduce the impact that the waste tariff could have on citizens’ pockets. This decision is part of a budgetary containment strategy which, in the words of the council, aims to avoid an excessive additional tax burden.
For their part, other municipalities have introduced recycling incentives to moderate the rate. In Malaga, for example, discounts of up to 17% are offered to those who actively recycle, while in other cities discounts are applied to the use of clean points or home composting.
