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Spain’s 2025 Municipal Waste Levy Jumps 16% to €116 on Average, Exposing Sharp City Gaps

The levy covers only 65.5% of service costs despite a legal mandate for full recovery.

Overview

  • The new Fundació ENT report examines 131 municipal bylaws under the EU‑driven mandate, prioritizing cost recovery and pay‑per‑generation as recycling gains remain unproven.
  • For an identical ‘typical household,’ annual bills range by €230.69, from €56.87 in Toledo to €287.56 in Valencia, with Girona (€238) and Tarragona (€236.29) high and Palencia (€57.41) and León (€62.53) low.
  • Residents have protested in areas such as the Vallès over how the charge is billed, while parties across the spectrum clash over how councils are rolling it out.
  • Many councils tie the fee to property or water records, and legal experts flag likely court challenges given that a 2020 Supreme Court nod to water‑based formulas came before the current law.
  • Ourense has moved to raise the household charge from €121 to €181 a year, arguing rates were unchanged since 2013 and did not cover the actual cost of the service.