Ecoparc 4 of the Barcelona metropolitan area is a mechanical-biological treatment plant, that processes refuse (grey container) and organic matter (brown container) from the 48 municipalities in the ECOP4RC Consortium.
From this waste, four types of resources are extracted:
- Recyclables that citizens had not sorted at home, such as metal packaging, plastics and cartons.
- Compost, an organic fertilizer that can be used in agriculture and gardening.
- Bio-stabilised pathogen-free organic matter suitable for restoring spoiled land and any other non-agricultural use.
- Pre-solid recovered fuel (pre-SRF), made from light materials suitable for energy recovery.
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Minimizing landscape impact:
the plant's height was limited and its facades have been painted in the landscape colors to integrate it as much as possible in its surroundings.
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Wastewater treatment:
leachates and used water are treated and reused at the plant.
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Odor control:
the plant's premises are kept at a lower pressure than the outside to avoid air getting out of the plant. Air is treated with scrubbers and bio-filters.