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Start of second phase of underground rubbish bins

contenidors3The second phase of the project to install underground rubbish bins across Formentera will begin this winter with 18 disposal points around the island. The units are planned for La Savina, Sant Ferran, Sant Francesc, Cala Saona, Es Ca Marí, Hotel La Mola and the municipal football pitch. The plan is intended to improve the image of tourism maintained by Formentera and to streamline the waste collection system here.

The Port of La Savina, as port of entry to the island, is one of the priority locations for the project and will have underground bin installations at six points across the town. Currently, the signature of an accord with the Port Authority is the only remaining detail standing in the way of the construction of four of the six planned underground units. This is due to the fact that the four units in question are located in an area of the port that is controlled by the Port Authority.

18 disposal units with a total of 84 containers (for rubbish, cardboard, glass and plastics) are set to be installed. The island's reduced geographical dimensions and its environmental fragility have made absolutely essential a waste disposal system based on rubbish separation. As a result, one of the Formentera Island Council's priorities is an adequate management of waste, and both human and technical means have been invested in in this endeavour. These have included attractive advertising campaigns to bring the local resident body closer to the new services being provided.

contenidors2Another priority in the matter is the removal of surface rubbish containers along the side of the highway, for example in the area of Es Arenals.

As with the project's first phase, the second phase – underground placement of the disposal units – will be financed by the European Union Cohesion Fund in the amount of 1,060,941.20€, or 80% of the total project cost. The remaining percentage will be covered by the Council of Formentera.

The first phase of the underground placement of rubbish containers on Formentera began in 2008 with a project that studied the possibility of installing similar rubbish containers at 24 points across the island, mostly urban centres.

The goal of the European Union Cohesion Fund FEDER is to strengthen economic and social cohesion within the Union European and to correct imbalances when they exist between the different regions of E.U. Direct assistance is provided by the fund in the form of financing for business investments and for infrastructural improvement projects linked to research, innovation, telecommunications, the environment, energy and transport. In turn, this assistance serves to benefit local and regional development and facilitate intra-city and intra-region cooperation.