Since 2009, Mijas has a permanent recycling centre that belongs to and is managed by the Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental (Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol). It is located in La Cala, just a few metres from the IES La Cala. On Wednesday 4th, the students of the 1st ESO A class visited the facilities. The have learned first hand what items and substances can be deposited in this space and how it works.  

The students were welcomed by the environmental technician of the Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental, Pablo Rubio, together with the local councillors for Cleanliness, Eloy Belmonte (Vox), and Education, Juan José Torres Trella (PP). The first thing that has been explained to them is what this facility consists of. "This is a collection facility, where there is no specific treatment, but each type of waste is sorted into its corresponding bin, bulk waste, so to speak, in the large tanks, and hazardous and polluting waste, in a covered area in a specific deposit. So that once classified here, each type has a specific destination, that is, either a treatment plant or specific companies that recycle and recover these materials", Rubio said. 

 

Undoubtedly, one of the most important subjects we all have, young and old, is learning to take care of our planet. "We not only teach maths, biology, history, but also cross-cutting themes and this is one of them: respect for the environment. As we have the recycling centre so close by we have come to take a look, so that the children can learn and then discuss it at home; this way we know where to throw away the TV, the computer and those things we don't know what to do with", explained the teacher, Miguel Ángel Ponce. 

 

Institutional collaboration 

 The Town Hall recalled the importance of making children aware of how important it is to recycle and to know the means and spaces available to do so.  The councillor for Cleanliness, Eloy Belmonte, highlighted the importance of these educational activities: "It is essential that our young people understand from an early age the importance of recycling and managing waste properly. Their involvement is key to guaranteeing the future of the municipality in balance with the environment". The councillor for Education, Juan José Torres Trella, also stressed that "it is the awareness of the little ones that makes the older ones act accordingly. These visits reinforce our municipality's commitment to caring for the environment". 

Belmonte said that from the Cleanliness Department more awareness campaigns will be promoted to reinforce the importance of managing waste correctly. "We will continue to promote this type of activity with schools in collaboration with the Education Department, because the best way to guarantee a cleaner Mijas is to involve new generations in respecting their environment". "We invite all schools not only to visit the recycling centre, but also to get in touch with both departments to visit, for example, the waste treatment plant in Casares and future campaigns that we are going to launch with the cleaning company", concluded the councillor.

 

Recycling centre 

The recycling centre is a municipal facility where all waste not suitable for conventional urban containers is received, separated and temporarily stored, from small electrical devices to clothes, batteries, fluorescent tubes, lamps, domestic oils and paints, among others. The recycling centres only accept waste of domestic origin, never of industrial origin. Furthermore, raising awareness at an early age facilitates the reduction of inappropriate waste and encourages greater use of collection services, such as the 'Punto Limpio' (recycling centre) in La Cala or the mobile 'Puntos Limpios'. This reinforces the responsible use of the facilities and optimises the resources allocated to waste management, reducing costs and improving the efficiency of the cleaning service.

 

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