Erasmus+

2. Tenerife is an island that has always caused
the interest of different cultures. Part of
this interest is motivated by the
exceptional climate that can be enjoyed
all year round in our territory, which
since the 18th century has begun to
attract tourism for both sick and
European people motivated by the
natural beauty and agriculture of the
island which began to consolidate with
the first hotels in the nineteenth century.

3. In Tenerife is the National Park of the Cañadas
del Teide, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one
of its main attractions, next to the Anaga
Massif, a biosphere reserve. Finally, San
Cristobal de la Laguna, its oldest city has been
chosen a world heritage city. The Carnival
celebrated on the island, usually in the month
of February, is a world-wide festival of
international tourist interest, the religious
festivals of the Holy Christ of La Laguna or
Corpus Christi de la Orotava and its wonderful
carpets.

6. In Tenerife, there are three most representative
towns with the largest number of tourists on
the island. Those include Adeje and Arona in
the south, and Puerto de la Cruz in the north,
and a wide and varied range of Services and
facilities for all its visitors being near the two
airports of the island.
Adeje
Arona

7. Tenerife as a whole welcomes over 5 million tourists
a year. The type of tourists that visit the island is
very varied, since it ranges from the tourism of
young people who come here for the sun and the
sandy beaches, and the tourism of older people
that look for the rest but the sun and the beach,
tourism of families with children, the tourism for
people who love sports, and some athletes to
prepare and train in winter, backpackers, and
tourists who walk all their paths and natural paths
for its many protected landscapes, nature lovers
and the environment, party tourism.

8. In relation to waste management, Tenerife has the
Special Territorial Plan for Waste Management
(PTEOR) since 2011, in that plan were exposed a series
of rules and considerations as well as sizing and
planning the infrastructures necessary to achieve a
correct management of the waste throughout the
island.

9. It is structured around 7 fundamental strategies:
1. prevention and minimization of waste generation,
2. maximum selective collection of materials and their
recycling,
3. maximum use of organic matter,
4. treatment prior to the disposal of all waste not
collected selectively,
5. safe disposal of secondary waste,
6. public organization for waste management and citizen
participation
7. creation of the Tenerife Waste Observatory.

10. In the different municipalities, and especially in
those of the three aforementioned cities - tourist
areas, the measures of these strategies have been
adopted, both at the municipal level and with the
help of the Cabildo (administrative council), and
have even been improving these with the
adaptation to the new and the use of better
systems for the collection and distribution of waste
after the various public tenders have been carried
out throughout this period, in which the service,
means and effectiveness have been improved
mainly.

11. At Insular level there already is a system of selective
waste collection and it is up and running. This is
organized at the municipal level, which is
implementing the 5th container, apart from other four
containers, for organic waste in some municipalities,
and is already conducting a pilot composting
experience. At present there is a Biological Mechanical
Treatment Plant where the bulk waste is separated
from the mixing container, separating into different
fractions that are reincorporated into the selective
collection channels, eliminating the remaining inert
waste in landfill, separating the organic part, and
biostabilizing this in an aerobic plant, this material that
after being neutralized is also deposited in the cells of
the landfill.

13. Tourism is economically the most important source of
income on the island, but it involves a series of
problems with the sustainability of this and the
management of its resources. One of the biggest
problems Tenerife is dealing with is the large
waste generation.
Waste management and planning of proper actions
entail a significant reaction time, both in the
planning phase of all measures, infrastructure
projects, as well as the coordination and promotion
of plans for minimization, selective waste
collection, and others.

15. This implementation of waste
management solutions is
complicated both by the
numerous regulations that
regulate it and by the speed
with which it is modified. The
main reason that either the
deadlines are not met or a
phase has not been
implemented when it has to be
modified when the provision is
modified which regulates it,
the quantities that they have or
the prohibitions as has
happened with the organic
matter, coming from the
mixing container, in terms of
not being able to produce
compost with this part of the
residues of organic matter.

16. Many tourists think that a tourist area is not
their home and therefore they do not have to
obey to proper waste management rules as
they would back home; the tourists do not use
the same care in doing so, do not have the same
means with which they have there, or do not
know how to manage waste correctly, or even
come from areas where selective separation
and advanced management of waste doesn’t
exist as such.

20. Regular domestic/organic rubbish is
collected by most councils on a daily
basis. The trucks typically roll
around to collect rubbish in the early
hours of the morning from 1.00am
onwards. Rubbish collection points
vary from place to place. Apartment
complexes and communities
typically have their own dedicated
rubbish room or zone. Private houses
typically leave their rubbish bags out
by the roadside of the nearest main
street.

21.  Most areas of Tenerife have introduced local
voluntary recycling points. There are currently
two types:
 In the photo the standard recycling pods can be
seen, which are separated into Glass, Plastics,
and Paper/Card.

22. However, some Town Halls, including Adeje are now rolling out
new underground recycling pods (picture). These larger containers
are installed underground, thereby saving space and reducing the
frequency of visits to empty the contents. The rubbish is stored
below an automatic shutter, thereby removing most of the flies and
smells associated with the old style pods. Collection drivers can
even remove and replace the containers remotely without even
having to leave the cab of their collection lorry.

23. Larger items (sofas, washing machines,
mattresses etc) up to a maximum of 50 kilos
per item are also collected, but usually on only
one fixed day each month.

24.  For domestic (but NOT industrial) waste, e.g.
garden waste or items that are difficult to place
in a standard bin-bag, there is the option to
take the waste directly to local waste
processing /recycling centre (‘Punto Limpio’).
 There are 8 Puntos Limpios in Tenerife