Andorra Waste Plant Imports Fall as Cerdanya Residents Recycle More, CTRASA Says

The Information and Monitoring Committee of the Centre de Tractament de Residus (CTRASA) met on Friday to review the plant's performance, with environment department director Sílvia Ferrer reporting that imports of waste from the Catalan comarca of Cerdanya have fallen during 2026 largely because of higher recycling rates there.

Ferrer attributed the decline—mainly in pre-treated municipal waste from Cerdanya municipalities—to new selective collection systems introduced in several of those areas. Residents are recycling more, she said, and consequently less material is arriving at the plant for processing. She welcomed the trend, recalling that the objective is to raise recycling percentages.

The plant continues to handle roughly 55,000 tonnes of waste a year, a figure Ferrer described as fairly stable. Beyond municipal waste, the facility also treats sewage sludge and healthcare and meat-industry waste, among other streams.

Ferrer said the plant has improved its energy valorisation efficiency, meaning it now generates more energy from a similar volume of waste. On emissions, she said the facility complies with regulations on every parameter and operates well below established limits. That data is published continuously on the CTRASA website, with readings recorded every 30 minutes.

Asked about a proposed biomethanisation plant, Ferrer said the project remains under study, with its technical and economic viability still to be determined. The installation would complement the current facility by treating organic matter so that it would not have to enter the energy valorisation centre.

The committee convenes twice a year, in May and November, bringing together representatives of the environment and health ministries, the comuns, and local residents' and environmental associations. It serves as a forum to inform residents about the plant's activity, possible incidents and maintenance work, and to address questions about its environmental impact. A monitoring plan has tracked potential effects since the centre began operating.