With cities and towns across Spain rolling out new rubbish taxes, many councils are offering ways to reduce your bill, or not pay it at all.
Spain’s rubbish tax law came into force back in April, meaning that many people across the country now have an extra expense or increased bills.
The measure, which aims to encourage recycling and essentially functions as a surcharge on waste collection, affects all municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants.
READ ALSO: How much is Spain’s new compulsory rubbish tax and who pays it?
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However, the law established a three-year deadline for municipalities to set an amount based on their collection, transportation, treatment and landfill maintenance, so some parts of Spain are not paying it yet. Many municipalities such as Alicante rolled out the new tax from September.
Fees can vary considerably from one place to another. In large cities the charge could vary depending on the size and cadastral value of the property or commercial premises, and it is estimated that the average fee for a normal property is in the range of €50-€150 per year.
As is often the case in Spain, these powers are devolved to local councils so for full details on your own rubbish tax, and how to get a discount, check in with your town hall.
READ ALSO: What is Spain’s IBI tax and how do I pay it?
How to pay less rubbish tax in Spain
As this is all handled on a municipal level, town halls have some flexibility in terms of what and how they charge the tax.
Many municipalities also offer discounts for certain groups, depending on your circumstances and recycling, according to tax experts Fiscaly:
- Large families can benefit from a 30 percent discount (check with the town hall for the specifics on what constitutes a ‘large family’)
- If household income does not exceed Spain’s Public Indicator of Multiple Effect Income (IPREM), a discount can also be applied
- According to Spain’s consumer watchdog OCU, homeowners who receive Spain’s Ingreso Mínimo Vital or Renta Mínima de Inserción can be exempt from the tax in Madrid, for example. These are both social welfare benefits that provides a minimum monthly income to low earners.
- Food and catering companies can also receive discounts if they collaborate with other groups to reduce food waste
- Recycling: Some city councils offer economic incentives to those who separate their rubbish correctly or use the municipal recycling centres.
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In Alicante, for example, the council has launched the “Tú haces Alicante” card that allows you to open the so-called “smart” bin containers where organic waste must be deposited.
The aim is to encourage waste separation and comes with discounts of up to 20 percent.
In the Catalan municipality of El Prat de Llobregat, residents can reduce their rubbish tax bill by up to 45 percent if they recycle ‘better’.
Reports in the Catalan press suggest this means that organic rubbish containers will be closed or locked, like in Alicante, and that to open them you will need “a card, a key fob or an application for mobile phones that will be provided by the council”.
READ ALSO: What taxes do non-residents in Spain pay?
