The Parla City Council has once again awarded the contracts for solid urban waste collection, street cleaning and recycling centre management to FCC Medio Ambiente in a joint venture with Urbaser, services that have been provided since 2018. The contract represents a portfolio of €151 million over the next 11 years and includes an investment of €10 million and a workforce equivalent to 266 people, ensuring a stable and fully scaled service.

The contract will serve more than 135,000 inhabitants and provides for the complete renewal of the vehicle fleet, 85% of which will be powered by CNG and zero-emission electric systems, reducing environmental impact and moving towards a more sustainable operating model. Similarly, the flushing equipment will have its own meters to optimise water consumption, and the service facilities will incorporate specific energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction measures.

The new collection service introduces improvements aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency of the service. During the first year, organic waste collection will begin and the frequency of collection from side-loading containers for packaging and paper/cardboard waste will increase. In addition, the municipality will move forward with replacing rear-loading containers with side-loading models, which offer greater capacity, increased safety and more efficient operation. The service will steadily increase and reinforce the location review teams, which operate in three daily shifts, 365 days a year. 

The street cleaning service will be reinforced with additional washing, scrubbing and cleaning in squares and between blocks, together with an additional night-time sweeping, washing and hydro-cleaning service. The municipality will also have specific teams for graffiti removal, intensive cleaning and reinforcement at events and street markets. The service will be carried out using 5 m3 road sweepers, road and pavement washers, scrubbers, hydro-cleaning vans and Porter-type electric auxiliary vehicles. Sweeping operators will have electric tricycles to make their journeys more comfortable and increase the efficiency of the service. 
 

In terms of technological innovations in the contract, the entire operation will be managed comprehensively through a digital platform, which will enable real-time monitoring of routes, fleets and containers via GPS/GPRS, CANBUS sensors and RFID tags installed in all containers. Middle managers will have mobile terminals connected to this platform, and residents will be able to report notices and incidents using an application that facilitates a more direct relationship between the service and residents. A total of 455 fill sensors will be installed in the containers. 
The recycling centre service will have two permanent facilities located on Calle Bruselas and Avenida de Ronda, along with a mobile recycling centre with daily routes. 

Each year, a communication plan will be designed that will focus, among other things, on the new organic waste fraction, recycling by fraction, the treatment of dog excrement, and citizen participation actions. ‘Basuraleza’ days will be held, dedicated to the conservation of the municipality's green areas by involving residents in cleaning tasks.

Social sustainability is particularly important in the new contract, which includes social criteria that prioritise the hiring of people with disabilities or at risk of exclusion, together with support measures for women who are victims of gender-based violence.