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New rubbish tax arrives in Spain: How much more will you have to pay?
Towns across Spain with more than 5,000 inhabitants will begin introducing bin charges on April 8
Following a hard push from the EU, all municipalities in Spain with more than 5,000 registered inhabitants will have to introduce a new rubbish collection tax this month, which each household will be responsible for paying. In theory, the charge will represent the amount councils currently pay for emptying public bins, transportation, treatment and landfill maintenance.
The new law forms part of the European Union’s sustainable agenda, which requires member states to achieve 55% waste reuse and recycling by the end of 2025, a target that increases to 65% by 2035. In principle, the deadline for establishing this rate is April 8, 2025.
How the payment is collected from homeowners will vary from place to place. Some municipalities will have to create a separate tax from the Property Tax (IBI); others will have to assess whether current rates cover the actual costs. If not, municipalities will have to modify the tax to comply with this regulation.
How much will the new bin tax cost?
According to the OCU (Spanish Consumer Organisation), the average annual cost of the garbage tax at the moment is €84.64. However, the amount is expected to increase drastically during the first half of 2025.
The calculation depends on each city or town council. Some cities have fixed rates, meaning all households pay the same regardless of the waste they generate. In larger cities, the tax may be based on the street tax category, the land value (by intervals) or water consumption.
In Madrid, for example, the City Council has decided to establish the new tax based on two criteria: a fixed cost of 81% based on the cadastral value of each property, and the remaining 19% to be paid based on each neighbourhood and the waste it generates.
Each municipality is unique and there is no one price that can be applied to all of them, but according to estimates from the sector, for a current average bill of 120 euros per year (which represents 40% of the service costs), households would have to pay 180 euros more: 300 euros in total.
Who should pay for garbage: owner or tenant?
The Local Tax Law establishes that the person who benefits from the collection, treatment and disposal of rubbish should be the one who pays for it. In other words, tenants up and down the country can expect landlords to pass this new charge onto them.
When does the garbage tax come into effect?
The deadline for councils to adapt or create this tax is April 8, 2025. However, the practical application of the tax may vary by municipality. In Madrid, the City Council has announced that the first garbage tax bills will be sent to homeowners starting in July 2025.
In Getafe, the mayor announced that this tax will be collected "around September each year."
For its part, the Alcalá de Henares City Council has sent a letter to its residents explaining that the payment will be made along with the water bills, and in other municipalities such as Alcorcón, Fuenlabrada, Torrejón de Ardoz and Parla, the payment may be prorated into different instalments.
For municipalities that do not yet have a rubbish collection fee, it will go into effect in Badajoz on April 1 and will cost an average of €90 per year; in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, it will begin to be collected in 2026; and in Málaga, it is expected to be implemented by September.
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Image: Freepik
