Canary Islands to coordinate European Urban Waste project on municipal waste in tourist areas

Canary Islands to coordinate European Urban Waste project on municipal waste in tourist areas

The Department of Territorial Policy, Sustainability and Security of the Government of the Canary Islands is to coordinate the European URBAN WASTE project, the aim of which is to produce waste prevention and management strategies in cities with high levels of tourism.

The project, which features the collaboration of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Tenerife Island Council and the Tenerife Hotel Association (Ashotel), has 28 European partners, including public and private institutions.

The aim of the URBAN WASTE project, which takes place within the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 programme, is to reduce the production of urban waste and improve municipal waste management in tourist areas. The study will specifically focus on 11 tourist areas that have a total of three million residents and receive a further 25 million tourists per year. In the case of the Canary Islands, the study will be carried out in Puerto de la Cruz.

The project will be coordinated by the Sub-department of the Environment and will take place during the period 2016 – 2018. First of all, there will be a detailed analysis of these areas and then specific ecological innovation strategies will be designed for waste management in tourist destinations, bearing in mind the importance of tourism and the economic benefits it generates for many cities throughout Europe.