The rubbish collection fee will not change in 2026
Councillor Rocío Ortuño, as the representative for solid waste and street cleaning, responds to the question posed by Mr. Mariano Carrillo, a resident of a district of Orihuela.
The question relates to the by-law regulating the cost of collecting and treating municipal solid waste.
Questions
‘Will the rubbish collection fee increase in 2026?’
‘Will a rubbish collection fee be introduced in districts that is proportional to the service provided?’
Councillor's response
"The waste collection fee is imposed by the Spanish government, which requires local councils to modify it in accordance with European regulations.
The agreement on this regulation is approved by the plenary session, and it is the plenary session that decides on any changes.‘
’At this time, this change is not open for debate, which means that the rubbish collection fee will remain the same for 2026."
And in Orihuela Costa?
Obviously, this measure affects the entire municipality, so it has the same impact on the coast. Residents of areas where the council provides a poor refuse collection service will pay the same as those in areas where the service is better.
Even in the summer months, waste collection varies mainly according to proximity to beach areas.
While some residential areas located below the N-332 had almost daily collection in July and August, other areas further away from the coast did not have the same regular service.
The new bins
Similarly, when the new bins began to arrive at the beginning of the summer, they were placed in the areas closest to the coast, leaving many residential areas inland without any. In the following photo, we can see the current situation of a bin on Calle Ciprés, in Lomas de Cabo Roig.
Why does this discrimination exist if the same rate is charged in all areas?
Savings in service provision
In residential areas where most homes are second homes and, therefore, are only inhabited in summer or during Holy Week, the service is only provided daily during the summer, while the rest of the year the truck only passes a few days a week.
Despite this, and unfairly, the tax is paid as if the service were provided daily.
It should be noted that on the coast there are also many homes inhabited by only one or two people, as the vast majority are retired people of different nationalities.
For this service to be fair, these factors must be taken into account, especially considering that Orihuela Costa is a completely different area from the centre of Orihuela and its districts.
