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Industrial waste

Industrial waste Catalonia Value. Total
Industries Urban waste waters treatment plants
2021 3,823,879 559,506
2020 3,518,772 523,141
2019 3,812,263 556,079
2018 3,802,967 533,002
2017 3,793,348 555,070
2016 3,618,076 535,427
2015 3,588,286 524,587
2014 3,606,467 524,929
2013 3,628,751 514,644
2012 3,619,235 528,653
2011 3,927,352 540,640
2010 4,127,616 535,769
2009 4,076,296 542,984
2008 5,086,713 533,672
2007 5,427,270 566,870
2006 5,348,496 557,123
Units: Tons.
Source: Agència de Residus de Catalunya.
Industrial waste Spain Value. Total
Industries
2021 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available
2020 16,449,989
2019 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available
2018 40,588,192
2017 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available
2016 38,442,573
2015 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available
2014 38,726,259
2013 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available
2012 42,875,634
2011 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available
2010 50,551,293
2009 40,156,993
2008 49,957,106
2007 60,692,665
2006 59,253,762
Units: Tons.
Source: INE. Enquesta sobre la generació de residus en la indústria.
Note: From 2010 onwards, Spain data are updated every two years and concerns the "even-numbered years".
(..) Confidential data, low reliability or not available.

Last update: May 11, 2023.

RESIC

These statistics have a specific section with all the information available: Statistics on Declared Industrial Waste (RESIC).

Methodological note

Industrial waste refers to the waste derived from manufacturing or industrial activities or processes.

Waste-related activities carried out by the Ministry of Territory and Sustainability are affiliated with the Catalan Waste Agency (a public body with its own legal status following the entry into effect of Law 6/1993 of 15 July, which regulated waste).

The data for Catalonia is obtained from the annual industrial waste statements (AIWS). The AIWS is a document collected the data on waste produced in each production centre within a period of one calendar year. In general terms, and according to Decree 93/1999 of 6 April, the AIWS must be completed by all companies carrying out an industrial activity or having manufacturing processes. Service companies and/or shops, however, do not have to do so.

The statistical records comprising data until the 2005 statement correspond to aggregate data. Starting with the 2006 statement, two separate groups of data have been extracted from the AIWS. On one hand, there is the waste associated with the industrial productive activity itself, and on the other, waste coming from the environmental service facilities (waste water treatment, waste management operations).

Industries: includes waste from the activity statements considered to be industrial, with the exception of waste station sludge and secondary waste from waste management operations.

City waste water treatment plants: includes treatment plants for city sewage treatment stations. This waste is largely managed by agricultural applications or landfills.

Waste management: includes secondary waste from companies involved in the waste management of third parties. This waste comes from other companies, which often has already been previously declared by the producers.

The data for Spain is obtained from the Industrial Waste Generation Survey taken biennially by the National Statistics Institute (INE), which studies the set of industrial establishments with 10 or more employees, except those involved in environmental services.

Starting in 2008, and in accordance with (EC) Regulation 2150/2002, sludge categories only consider their dry material equivalents.

Furthermore, within the new CNAE2009, the activity of the supply of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning does not include establishments producing energy from waste incineration.

The previous changes in methodology limit the comparison to previous years.

Classification of waste:

  • Special: waste which is potentially polluting, and so requires specific treatment and periodic inspection. This is found within the area of application of Directive 91/689/EC, of 12 December 1991.
  • Inert: any waste that once deposited in the landfill does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformation and complies with the leaching requirements determined by law.
  • Not special: any waste not classified as either special or inert.