Awareness regarding the importance of recycling continues to yield results in the Canary Islands. In 2025, over 47,800 tons of glass containers were recovered, translating to an average of 21.3 kg per inhabitant, surpassing the national figure of 20 kg. This equates to approximately 73 containers per person, or 164 million containers across the archipelago.
This data, provided by Ecovidrio, the entity managing these waste streams, indicates that over 300 containers were deposited into green bins every minute. Despite a slight 3% decrease compared to the previous year, influenced by a contraction in single-use container consumption, citizen commitment remains strong.
Glass, being a 100% infinitely recyclable material without quality loss, solidifies its position as the most sustainable model. The quantity recycled in 2025 has helped prevent the emission of over 29,200 tons of CO2, equivalent to the emissions of 13,500 cars, and saved 36,000 MWh of energy, enough to cover the energy consumption of Canary Islands hospitals for two months. Furthermore, it avoided the extraction of over 60,400 tons of raw materials.
Citizen contribution varied by island, with Lanzarote leading (43.9 kg/inhabitant), followed by Fuerteventura (35.9 kg/inhabitant). Gran Canaria registered 18.9 kg/inhabitant.
“"Canarians have managed to consolidate their selective collection results, demonstrating a firm commitment to recycling glass containers, placing them above the national average."
Despite the positive outcomes, Ecovidrio's manager for the Canary Islands, Jorge Peña, emphasized the need to remain vigilant and maintain shared responsibility between citizens and administrations. Additionally, 2,517 tons of glass were recovered through Urban Waste plants, and artificial intelligence is being implemented to optimize collection routes.
