Pilot Project Pay As You Throw with street containers
About this good practice
For six months, a pilot project was carried out in the city of Gijón to analyze the feasibility of implementing a pay-as-you-throw system.
The PAYT system, designed by combining various best practices and measures from other cities and regions, as a result of participation in an Interreg project, consists of the purchase of standardized bags of different colors through vending machines or collaborating shops. Likewise, to prevent fraud, electronic locks are installed on smart containers located on public streets. The bags are coded in a way that allows citizen identification and therefore ensures proper separation.
During the project, more than 750 families participated, committing to detailed monitoring of their waste generation for six months. This previously unknown data has provided a more detailed understanding of families' waste separation potential and specific waste-generating habits.
Additionally, a KAYT system is being implemented—Know As You Throw —so that users are aware of their waste management habits.
Resources needed
Vending Machine: 12.000€
Mobile app for KAYT system and habit monitoring
Bags coded for each type of waste (residual, packaging and biowaste): 18.100€
External Assistance: 51.000€ including App developmet
Total costs (including administrative and internal personnel expenses) about 95.000€
Evidence of success
750 families have reported their waste generation over the past six months.
These data have allowed the creation of a software tool to calculate the individual parameters of the generation-based payment system: fixed portion, unit price of each bag by type, etc.
More than 80% of separate collection.
90 kg/inh·year of biowaste and 45 kg/inh·year of packaging againts 9kg/inh (biowaste) and 15 keg/inh out of the Pilot.
Potential for learning or transfer
There are numerous cities with Pay As You Throw systems, but virtually all of them are implemented in municipalities with door-to-door collection. Until now, there was no specific PAYT system in cities with street opened containers. This pilot has served to determine the degree of implementation feasibility, not only in Gijón, but also in cities with similar typologies and conditions.
In this way, the Pay As You Throw system could help to increase separate collection rates and meet the regulatory objectives established in the European Directive.
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Municipal Company of Urban Environment Services of Gijón (EMULSA)