Recyclia, one of the most important environmental platform for used electrical and electronic waste (Weee) and batteries in Spain, is the only Spanish collective system taking part in CIRC4Life project that began in 2018. It is an international collaborative innovation project, with a duration of 36 months, supported by the European Commission’s H2020 Circular Economy programme. Consisting of a consortium of seventeen partners across eight EU countries, the aim is to develop and implement a circular economy approach for sustainable products and services through their value and supply chains.
The pilot test of the initiatives included: implementation of two itinerant smart containers in three public buildings and three schools in Getxo, in collaboration with the town council; implementation of the incentive scheme developed jointly with local businesses and distributors in the area; communication and awareness campaign to the user to deliver their tablets and small devices in the smart containers; implementation of a system for the reuse/remanufacturing of electronic tablets.
This pilot experience was developed in the town of Getxo from November 2020 to October 2021. The user, when delivering his waste, obtains a number of credits (eco-credits) that he can later exchange for a series of incentives. The result of this pilot experience was: more than 600 kg of waste was collected, good quality of waste collected by smart containers, registered more than 1,500 downloads of the mobile application necessary to identify the user, allow the opening of the door of the smart container and receive the corresponding eco-credits, as a reward.
