The Plenary of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa approved this Thursday the name change of the facility previously known as the Zonzamas Environmental Complex, which will now be called the Insular Environmental Complex of Waste. The change primarily responds to the need to differentiate this infrastructure from the Zonzamas archaeological site, located in the same area, thus avoiding potential confusion between the two spaces. The new designation more accurately identifies the nature, function, and territorial scope of facilities that constitute the main center for the treatment of waste generated in Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
The Minister of Waste for the Cabildo, Domingo Cejas, valued the unanimous support of the Corporation for this agreement. "With this new designation, we provide an essential infrastructure for our islands with a name that reflects its true dimension and the service it provides to all of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, while avoiding confusion with a space of our archaeological heritage like the Zonzamas site," he stated.
Cejas also highlighted the transformation these facilities have undergone over the past decades. "The complex has evolved considerably since its origins, incorporating new infrastructures and treatment processes to respond to waste management needs and environmental requirements. Its new designation reflects this reality and its insular character," the minister remarked.
The proposal for the name change was previously studied in the Plenary Commission of the Waste Area, held on February 25, 2026, where it also received unanimous support from its members before being submitted to the Plenary for final approval.
The history of this infrastructure dates back to 1976, the year the Cabildo developed the project for the old landfill, conceived as an island-wide waste disposal facility. Its purpose was to centralize waste management and prevent the proliferation of uncontrolled dumps on the island. Later, in mid-2002, the commissioning of the sorting plant marked a significant transformation of the facilities, which evolved from a landfill to an Environmental Complex. Since then, various infrastructures and treatment facilities have been incorporated in response to the growing waste management needs of Lanzarote and La Graciosa and the evolution of environmental regulations, particularly regarding the waste management hierarchy and the achievement of established objectives. Among other improvements, the creation of a new composting plant, with works beginning in 2026, will allow for the treatment of up to 4,375 tons of organic matter and plant waste annually, alongside investments to modernize infrastructures, access roads, leachate and rainwater systems, and fire protection measures at Zonzamas.
