Starting in the fall of 2025, Madrid residents have, for the first time, been faced with a mandatory annual fee for the collection and processing of household waste. On average, each apartment pays around 141 euros per year, though the exact amount can vary depending on the property’s characteristics and its neighborhood. The new measure has immediately sparked a wave of criticism from both opposition parties and ordinary citizens.
The municipality, led by José Luis Martínez-Almeida, was quick to shift the blame onto the central government, citing a law passed in 2022 to fulfill the European Union’s waste recycling requirements. However, critics argue that city officials had options to soften the financial blow to residents—for example, by introducing a progressive fee scale or imposing extra charges on tourist apartments. Even the property tax cut introduced in October 2024 failed to quell public dissatisfaction.
In letters sent to residents, Madrid’s administration tried to explain that the decision to impose the fee was driven by the need to comply with European environmental standards. Nevertheless, many believe the city could have taken into account household incomes or the number of people living in each apartment to make the system fairer. The issue is especially pressing for single residents and low-income families, who now have to pay the same amount as large households.
According to the new regulations, the obligation to pay falls on the property owner, who may in turn try to pass these costs onto the tenant if stipulated in the contract. For existing agreements, however, this approach does not apply, creating additional confusion and disputes between owners and residents.
The authorities have introduced certain benefits: families receiving the minimum guaranteed income are completely exempt from payment, while large families may qualify for a discount ranging from 10 to 90 percent, depending on the value of the property and the family category. However, these measures have not fully eased tensions.
The situation in Madrid is not unique. In other cities, such as San Sebastián and Vitoria, waste collection fees have also increased, and in Bilbao, a separate charge for this service was introduced for the first time. Some municipalities are discussing alternative ways to calculate the amount, for example, based on the number of residents or tourist load, but so far, there is no unified solution.
In the capital of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, an attempt to implement a similar system failed due to disagreements between political parties. Local deputies there opposed calculating charges solely based on property value, demanding that the number of residents be considered. Interestingly, in Madrid, where this criterion is also not applied, such objections were ignored.
Overall, the introduction of the new waste collection fee has become one of the most debated topics in Spanish cities. Questions about the fairness and transparency of the calculations remain unresolved, while residents continue to demand a more flexible and socially-oriented approach from the authorities.
