PALMA
PALMA citizens are becoming more aware of the benefits of recycling, demonstrated by this year's figures.
Both selective collection of paper and cardboard, and that of glass and plastic packaging have increased in comparison with the amount which was recycled last year.
From January to October this year and taking into account the three types of recycling, citizens have recycled some 20.49 percent more than during the same period last year.
This is a figure which has increased considerably and which, according to EMAYA, shows the progressive awareness of citizens with regard to recycling their rubbish.
Selective recycling is formed by inorganic rubbish which can be recycled and can be used again.
On the other hand, for all of those who continue to throw all rubbish into the same container, this is treated as rubbish and will go directly to the rubbish tip or the incinerator and will not be recycled, said EMAYA sources.
There are also places for special rubbish, such as batteries, paints, solvents, etc.
Actually Palma has some 6'500 ordinary rubbish containers and 3'512 recycling bins. Of this last category, 1'500 are for paper and cardboard, 1'094 for glass and 918 for packaging.
All of these are distributed among the 87 districts of Palma. EMAYA sources said that when we site them we take three aspects into account: the density of the population in each district; the demand by the residents; and we analyse which districts have more or less rubbish.
During the first 10 months of last year, 11'136'870 kilos of paper and cardboard were collected, which increased to 12'576'797 kilos during the first 10 months of this year, a rise in recycling of 12.93 percent.
With regard to glass, in the first 10 months of 2006 3'783 tons were collected, while in the same period this year 4'518 tons were collected, an increase of 19.43 percent.
As for packaging (mainly plastics), this continues to record the greatest increases. In the first 10 months of 2006 1'638 tons were collected, but in the first 10 months of this year 2'115 tons were collected, an increase of 29.12 percent.
There are also 16 drums in the main streets of the city for the recycling of oil, the aim being that citizens will put it here for recycling instead of throwing it down the drains.