Greater Madrid Area
Majadahonda
A pioneer in implementing pneumatic waste collection, Majadahonda City Council has five collection centres and exemplifies how to improve environmental quality and urban planning in cities.
Five successful collection centres
Since implementing Envac’s pneumatic waste collection system in 1999, Majadahonda has become one of the most significant examples of its use within this market segment. Majadahonda’s collection centres serve 75% of the population, a percentage considerably higher than many other cities with pneumatic waste collection systems. Majadahonda City Council has installed five pneumatic waste collection centres. These systems serve around 25,000 households and collect more than 50,000 tonnes of waste annually. They collect three fractions: organic, residual, plastics and packaging, encouraging residents to separate and classify their waste appropriately. This initiative has allowed for efficient and sustainable urban development. It reflects the municipality’s and its residents’ positive attitude towards efficient waste management, which contributes to maintaining a cleaner, safer environment and improves the community’s quality of life.
Majadahonda City Council has five collection centres: Majadahonda Centro, Arcipreste, Oportunidad, Monte del Pilar, and Negrillos. These centres required the installation of 30 kilometres of underground pipes and around 1,040 disposal points. Thanks to implementing these systems, the municipality has managed to efficiently and sustainably collect and transfer waste to the corresponding centres.
80k end-users
in 25,000 connected homes
3 waste fractions
packaging, organic, and residual
1040 disposal points
connected to inlets and collection stations
289k hours of operation
and 7,800 tonnes of waste collected annually
25 years of successful operations
The pneumatic waste collection system was introduced in Majadahonda in 1999, and the first facility was constructed and commissioned. It has since been integrated into new developments in the area, providing a more efficient and sustainable waste management system for the growing population.
These facilities use a network of underground pipes to transport waste from households to the collection centre, located outside the urban core, thus reducing the traffic of conventional garbage trucks and minimising the carbon footprint of the entire waste management process. This approach has become increasingly popular in urban areas worldwide, and its success in Majadahonda makes it the ideal example for other cities and municipalities to follow.
Urban development and neighborhood
Majadahonda has become known as a trailblazing municipality in Spain due to its adoption of pneumatic waste collection systems. This advanced waste management system utilises vacuum technology to transport waste to a central location, reducing the number of garbage trucks on the road. This system significantly enhances citizens’ overall quality of life by minimising traffic, pollution, and noise. The successful implementation of these five facilities has prompted considering integrating this cutting-edge system into new developments outlined in the Municipality General Urban Development Plan. This initiative represents a substantial stride towards fostering a sustainable and environmentally conscious future in Spain.
Committed neighbours building a better future
According to a survey carried out by Sigma Dos, an external consultant, pneumatic waste collection systems (PWCS) have obtained a high level of satisfaction from users in the area. Of all those surveyed, 94.7% of users expressed their satisfaction with the system and gave it an average score of 7.88 out of 10. For 94.7% of users of Majadahonda’s systems, the aspects they value most are its good operation (49.7%), comfort (27.5%) and cleanliness (24.4%).
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