Mijas City Council (Málaga) has awarded the new contract for solid urban waste collection and street cleansing to the joint venture FCC Barbetium, formed by FCC Medio Ambiente and its Special Employment Centre (CEE in Spanish), FCC Equal. The total order book value amounts to almost €80 million for the next ten years.

In order to serve the approximately 90,000 inhabitants of the city, a figure that triples in the summer season, all the machinery will be newly acquired and in accordance with legislation concerning pollution, and the most innovative systems on the market will be used to optimise the use of water in the street cleansing equipment, reduce consumption and the levels of noise and environmental pollution. Both services also have a large proportion of electric vehicles, bringing to light the commitment of the Mijas City Council to the fight against climate change and respect for the environment. 

An important part of the new contract is the inclusion of personnel with disabilities from FCC Equal CEE, which will incorporate over 40 workers with a recognised disability of more than 33%. To this end, collaboration agreements with associations from the area have been signed for the recruitment and monitoring of personnel.

Regarding waste collection, the service covers the residual waste fraction, which annually processes a total of 40,000 tonnes, and will for the first time implement the collection of the organic fraction. It has a workforce of more than 66 workers and 32 vehicles, with part of the fleet being electrically powered. The entire current fleet of containers will be renewed and 350 additional units will be incorporated for the organic fraction. It should be noted that the collection of waste from hospitality and other establishments located in the coastal area will be reinforced, a necessary service due to the increase in population during the summer season.

With respect to the street cleansing service, which covers the entire municipality which represents over 440,000 metres of street, it will boast 58 vehicles, all newly acquired, 45% of which will be electric, and a workforce of more than 80 people. The introduction of a multifunctional machine that performs scrubbing, mechanical sweeping and hydro-cleaning tasks stands out. Conventional sweeping trolleys will be replaced by self-propelled electric tricycles, which will reduce travel times and provide workers with greater ergonomics. This will mean a boost to the mechanisation of tasks, resulting in higher performance and a more modern and optimal service. Finally, personnel will be made available to the municipality for the cleaning of events and sporadic occasions.

In terms of technological innovation, all vehicles of both services are equipped with real-time location and GPS tracking of the routes. In addition, all containers incorporate tags to mark the elevations of the collection lorries. The comprehensive management of the services will be carried out through the VISION digital platform, developed exclusively by FCC Medio Ambiente, which allows for the control, monitoring and optimisation of the works and makes it possible to interact in real time with residents’ requests.

Finally, a significant annual budget line has been earmarked for various environmental awareness-raising activities, such as school campaigns, informative stands in certain parts of the city, and information campaigns on the organic fraction collection service.

Ⓒ Photo courtesy of DiarioSur.com