Sant Cugat residents could soon pay for waste collection based on how much they throw away, rather than the cadastral value of their homes. The municipal government has announced plans for a revised waste tax system to take effect from 2028, aligning with the European 'polluter pays' principle.

Currently, the municipal waste fee, introduced in 2025 under EU Directive 2018/851 and Spanish Law 7/2022, is calculated using cadastral property values. This method has drawn widespread criticism and thousands of appeals, as it does not account for individual recycling efforts or waste generation levels.

Carles Brugarolas, Deputy Mayor for Economy, confirmed the planned change during a municipal plenary session on Friday 30th October 2026. He stated that from 2028, the fee could be based on measurable waste output and recycling performance, making it fairer and more reflective of actual environmental impact.

We believe that from 2028 we will be able to completely modify the waste fee so that it is based on the real measurement of waste emissions by taxpayers.

Brugarolas explained that the current system was a transitional measure, necessary because the technical infrastructure to monitor individual waste production was not feasible between 2025 and 2027. The council had previously committed to freezing the tax amount for 2026 and 2027 to ease the burden, with 2026 bills already approximately 5.5% lower than in 2025.

How the New System Could Work

While exact details are still pending, one potential model involves using sealed waste containers that require identification cards to open, allowing the council to track usage per household. This system is already in place in some other municipalities.

The aim is to encourage better recycling and waste reduction by linking costs directly to behaviour. Residents who recycle more and produce less waste could see lower bills, while those generating more waste would pay more.

On the same day, the municipal plenary dismissed an appeal from animal rights party PACMA, which had sought to annul the waste fee for 2025 and 2026. PACMA argued that packaging waste costs should be borne by producers, not citizens, in line with state regulations on packaging management.

The council rejected the appeal on procedural grounds without assessing its merits. However, Brugarolas acknowledged the argument, stating he has not ruled out exploring ways to involve packaging producers in covering part of the waste management costs in the future.

More information on the current waste fee, including discounts for using recycling centres like Ambiteca, is available on the Ajuntament de Sant Cugat’s official page.

Sources: TOT Sant Cugat, premsa.santcugat.cat, totsantcugat.cat.