Awareness: the first step towards sustainability
Jordi Julian | Director of Strategy and Business Development
Jordi Julian | Director of Strategy and Business Development
In 2023, we made significant strides with our awareness campaigns on reuse and recycling, targeting both professionals and society at large. At ECOTIC, we recognise that raising awareness is crucial for promoting greater environmental responsibility, one of our key challenges.
In the professional realm, this year we enhanced our Ecoinstaladores programme and the Gente Comprometida (Committed people) campaign, updating their content and graphics substantially. This initiative marks another milestone in our efforts to educate installers about the proper management of waste generated by air conditioning units.
Furthermore, during the past financial year, as members of OfiRaee, we undertook the responsibility of actively participating in organising the V Congreso Nacional de Gestión de RAEE with the support of the Agència de Residus de Catalunya. Held in Barcelona, the Congress reinforces our commitment to enhancing the sustainable management of electrical and electronic waste.
In 2023, we focused on increasing audiovisual content for our social networks, aiming to provide professional and creative content for our audiences. Simultaneously, we continued to enhance our regular activities across other communication channels at ECOTIC, disseminating updates via the website and newsletters.
On the societal front, our Digitalización Sostenible, (Sustainable digitalisation) campaign aimed at businesses, and Otro Final es Posible, (Another ending is possible) campaign focused on schools, have had a lasting impact by emphasising the importance of reusing and recycling electrical and electronic devices. These efforts have resulted in positive outcomes in terms of the amount of waste collected, both domestically and professionally, while promoting reuse and bridging the digital divide.
Furthermore, our activities in the past year extended beyond these initiatives as we actively participated in various campaigns driven by autonomous communities and local authorities. These actions have strengthened our commitment to the environment and society, contributing to sustainable development across different regions of the autonomous communities.
The Ecoinstaladores programme is an initiative launched by ECOTIC in 2011, with the support of the main installers’ associations in Spain, aimed at increasing the collection of waste from air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.
In 2023, we gave an additional boost to the programme with the Gente Comprometida (Committed people) campaign. This initiative brought a renewal in both its visual appearance and content and remains the driving force behind our efforts to raise awareness among installers about the importance of properly managing waste from air conditioning units. With the slogan “It’s not just about recycling; it’s about recycling well”, we aim to create a turning point for Ecoinstaladores, hoping to engage more professionals committed to the responsible management of equipment.
Moreover, during this period, we continued to promote training and awareness-raising activities to encourage the proper uninstallation of devices and offer customised solutions for managing their waste. Ecoinstaladores is a national project, thanks to collaboration agreements with prominent professional associations, such as the Association of Companies in the Installation and Energy Sector of Madrid (AGREMIA), the Federation of Installers’ Guilds of Catalonia (FEGICAT), the Provincial Association of Installer Companies of Seville (Epyme) and the ASOFRIO group of installer companies, among others.
In addition to training activities, we have had informational stands at various sectoral congresses and fairs, such as EFINTEC at Fira Barcelona, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Fair at IFEMA in Madrid, the EscoFeria in Murcia and Malaga and GiBaix Trobafira held in Cornellà de Llobregat.
We also organised training courses for professionals, such as the webinar “Management of air conditioning, boiler waste and other WEEE. How to avoid potential sanctions?”.
Digitalización Sostenible is a campaign aimed at bridging the digital divide through the reuse of electrical and electronic devices at the end of their useful life.
This initiative, launched by ECOTIC in partnership with CEOE Foundation, now involves the participation of other Extended Producer Responsibility Collective Systems for WEEE recycling (Ambilamp, Ecoasimelec, Ecofimatica, Ecolec, Ecolum, Eco-Raee’s and ERP), alongside logistical support from SEUR Foundation.
In the third edition of the campaign, a total of 3,337 pieces of equipment and computer components were donated, thanks to the generous donations from over 37 companies and freelancers across Spain (11,674 pieces of equipment and 120 companies since the first edition).
Of these, 55% could be reused, while devices and components unfit for reuse were recycled to recover their materials.
These refurbished devices reached over 25,000 people across Spain, facilitated by the collaboration between SEUR Foundation and 80 partnering NGOs. Through these donations, we provide access to technology through various programmes, significantly contributing to reducing the digital divide.
The equipment collection promoted by Digitalización Sostenible also has another important positive environmental impact: a reduction in CO2 emissions by 329,000 kilograms since the first edition of the campaign, a significant benefit in mitigating global warming.
The Otro Final es Posible campaign, an initiative by ECOTIC in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Planning and the Ministry of Education of the Regional Government of Castile and León, concluded the 2022–23 academic year with the participation of over 100 schools and 11,600 students through 525 educational activities.
Launched in 2014, this campaign, based on a competition for collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from educational institutions, aimed to raise awareness among younger generations about the importance of recycling and reusing these materials.
Through Otro Final es Posible, a total of 19,953 kilograms of WEEE were collected, with students depositing them into selective collection containers installed at schools.
These devices underwent a clear and detailed process before being transported to treatment facilities for recycling. Additionally, the campaign underscored the significance of reusing functional devices rather than discarding them.
Powered by Ambilamp in collaboration with ECOTIC and other OfiRaee EPRCS members (Ecoasimelec, Ecofimatica, Ecolec, Ecolum, Eco-Raee’s and ERP), this marketplace offers non-profit organisations access to surplus electronic products, preventing premature disposal or recycling and giving these items a second life.
Recently awarded the Sustainability Action 2023 Prize by Compromiso RSE, this initiative has played a pivotal role in reducing electrical and electronic waste. Participating producers and distributors have donated over 45,000 products to date, which now have the potential for renewed use by non-profits and educational institutions.
The Comparte y Recicla campaign marked its tenth anniversary with a record collection, amassing 164,817 kilograms of toys, thanks to the involvement of families opting to give them a second life. Ninety percent of the collected toys were donated to vulnerable children, facilitated by collaboration with 120 non-profit entities.
The initiative established collection points at El Corte Inglés and Mail Boxes Etc. locations, where the SEUR Foundation collected and delivered them to the ILADE Special Employment Centre for inspection, ensuring optimal condition for reuse. At ECOTIC, we handled the recycling of toys that couldn’t be reused, contributing to a reduction of 26 tonnes of CO2 emissions—an equivalent positive impact to the absorption generated by a 0.52-hectare pine forest over one year.
On the communication front, the campaign received support from Mediaset España, which provided media backing for the project through the communication campaign of its social project 12 Meses (12 Months).
In addition to our own campaigns, at ECOTIC, we have engaged in informational and awareness-raising activities alongside other entities, professional associations and sectors.
Throughout 2023, we participated in various initiatives aimed at promoting the recycling of electrical and electronic devices, such as those conducted in Andalusia in collaboration with the Association of Hotels of Seville and Province (AHS).
As usual, we also collaborated in awareness campaigns on the recycling of electrical and electronic devices promoted by government authorities, professional associations or educational centres across different autonomous communities in Spain.
In 2023, we participated in the following campaigns:
Initiated by the Government of Castile-La Mancha, this initiative aims to promote the proper recycling of a wide range of waste, including lightweight packaging, cardboard, paper, glass, electrical and electronic devices, as well as organic waste.
Coordinated by the EPRCS, this programme of outreach activities reached over 30,000 people during 2023. Activities were conducted in 250 municipalities across the region’s five provinces, encompassing educational centres, markets, youth centres and associations.
During 2023, the Repara, Reutiliza, Recicla programme for WEEE in CLM brought its mobile workshop to over 140 municipalities in Castile-La Mancha. This initiative is part of a collaboration agreement between ECOTIC, the other EPRCS members, the Ministry of Sustainable Development of the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha and local entities.
The campaign covered 147 municipalities and 28 areas in the region, providing residents with the opportunity to repair their devices free of charge. The mobile workshop also served as a mobile recycling point, collecting irreparable devices for proper waste treatment. This initiative collected 2,000 kilograms of waste during 2023.
ECOTIC collaborated with RAEE Andalucía at the 21st edition of the Science Fair held at the Palace of Exhibitions and Congresses in Seville. The event brought together 120 exhibitors and focused on various themes, including a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular emphasis on food, responsible consumption, biodiversity and climate change, all linked to the proper recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The initiative La Hermandad del Reciclaje. Recicla por Doñana y la Tierra aims to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and reusing electrical and electronic waste. The campaign is supported by RAEE Andalucía, the Ministry of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy of the Andalusian Government, as well as the Andalusian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FAMP), with collaboration from ECOTIC and other active EPRCS in the region. In collaboration with over 70 Brotherhoods of El Rocío from the eight Andalusian provinces, informational booths were set up at the El Rocío Fairs in Seville and Cádiz, along with selective collection containers for WEEE.
The initiative Dona Vida al Planeta promoted by RAEE Andalucía, aims to raise awareness among Andalusians about the recycling and reuse of electrical and electronic waste (WEEE). In its fourth edition, it expanded to 381 municipalities in Andalusia, covering 91.5% of the population.
The León City Council promoted this initiative during the Christmas holidays, with the support of ECOTIC and Ambilamp, to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and properly handling electrical and electronic waste (WEEE). The programme emphasises the responsibility we all have in this process and aims to move towards a more sustainable production and consumption model.
Recicla con los 5 Sentidos is an environmental awareness and education initiative promoted by the Government of the Valencian Community in collaboration with Extended Producer Responsibility Collective Systems. Its goal is to engage citizens of the Valencian Region in the recycling process. Through a series of free, in-person workshops, various aspects of recycling are addressed, including the management of lightweight packaging waste, glass, paper, cardboard and small electrical and electronic appliances.
At ECOTIC, we participate in the Generació Reset project, promoted by the Government of Catalonia and the Agència de Residus de Catalunya (ARC), in collaboration with initiatives such as Andròmines and Eduxarxa. This project targets secondary school, A-level and vocational training students. The initiative aims to raise awareness among young people about environmental and social issues related to the production of electronic devices.
The campaign also promotes the implementation of local initiatives for repairing and recycling mobile phones in educational centres, while providing educational materials for schools to develop their own projects.
In its second edition, the recycling campaign Recicla’ls com es mereixen, promoted by the Agència de Residus de Catalunya (ARC) in collaboration with local entities, the Provincial Council of Barcelona and ECOTIC alongside WEEE management EPRCS, aimed to educate consumers about their right to return obsolete devices when purchasing new ones at sales points. The campaign highlights the option to return WEEE through home delivery services when acquiring new devices.
In partnership with ECOTIC and Ambilamp, the Entidad Metropolitana para el Tratamiento de Residuos (EMTRE) in Valencia launched this informational campaign to educate residents on the proper management of small appliances, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes in the metropolitan area of the Valencian capital. The initiative aims to encourage the population to recycle these wastes free of charge at both fixed and mobile ecoparks in the area.
The 5th National Congress on WEEE Management: Recycling and Circular Economy ,held at the Auditorium of the World Trade Center in Barcelona in October 2023, brought together over 270 professionals from the recycling and circular economy sectors across Spain.
At ECOTIC, we undertook the responsibility of organising the event alongside the EPRCS grouped under OfiRaee (Ambilamp, Ecoasimelec, Ecofimatica, Ecolec, Ecolum, Eco-Raee’s and ERP), with the support and collaboration of the Agència de Residus de Catalunya. Featuring national and international speakers, Barcelona served as the central hub for discussing innovative solutions to address challenges in WEEE management.
The event successfully convened all stakeholders involved in the strategic WEEE sector, including government authorities, producers, distributors, managers and consumers, in a Congress that underscored the importance of proper collection, management and reuse of these wastes.
Various presentations and roundtable discussions underscored the need for disseminating awareness of these wastes through communication campaigns, highlighting the imperative of legislative harmonisation and enhanced legal certainty. ECOTIC’s role in organising the 5th National Congress on WEEE Management reaffirmed our steadfast commitment to sustainability and the circular economy.