Cleaner and greener: Costa del Sol’s rubbish stats improve

The Costa del Sol is becoming cleaner and greener, with new data showing a drop in the amount of rubbish collected across the region. In the first three months of 2025, 77,358 tonnes of household waste were processed, 5% less than during the same period in 2024.
The figures come from the Complejo Ambiental Costa del Sol, which manages waste for the western Costa del Sol area. The drop is good news, as it shows that local residents are trying to reduce what they throw away and recycle more.
Marbella led the way with the most significant drop in general waste, down by 21% compared to last year. Mijas and Istan also saw smaller but steady improvements.
Recycling is up too. There was a 4% rise in plastic and packaging (yellow bin) collections and a 12% increase in paper and cardboard (blue bin). Istan and Benahavis reported some of the biggest improvements.
Glass recycling did drop slightly by 1%, but some towns like Casares and Manilva saw big increases.
The president of the Mancomunidad, Manuel Cardena, said these results show that the Costa del Sol is on the right path. “We’re becoming more aware of how important it is to separate our rubbish properly,” he said.
With more residents doing their bit, the region is moving closer to its goal of complete circular waste management and a greener future for everyone who lives on the Costa del Sol.