The Madrid City Council drives the transformation of El Retiro into a ‘Zero Waste’ park with the support of the joint venture involving Tedagua

• The Madrid City Council promotes the transformation of El Retiro into Europe’s first historic park with ‘Zero Waste’ certification.
• The initiative will improve waste separation at source and enable the recovery of at least 90% of the waste generated in this iconic area of the capital.

The Madrid City Council has launched work to transform El Retiro Park into the first park to obtain ‘Zero Waste’ certification, an initiative that reinforces the city’s commitment to sustainability, the circular economy and the conservation of its most representative green spaces.

The project was presented by the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, accompanied by the Delegate for Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility, Borja Carabante, and the Delegate Councillor for Cleaning and Green Areas, José Antonio Martínez Páramo. Also attending the event were Javier Hidalgo, CEO of Tedagua; Gonzalo Cañete, CEO of PreZero Iberia; and Fernando Sánchez Jiménez, Chairman of Gyocivil.

During the presentation, Almeida highlighted the value of El Retiro Park as the “historic, heritage, cultural and environmental heart” of Madrid and underlined the goal of turning it into “Europe’s first historic zero-waste park” by 2027. He also noted that the initiative will allow the more than 2,600 tonnes of waste generated in the park each year to be “reused, recycled and transformed”.

The project includes the creation of a new waste management facility in the southern area of the park, near the Rose Garden and the Greenhouse Nursery, as well as the refurbishment of the 984 existing litter bins to facilitate waste separation at source. The objective is to move towards a more efficient management model, in which waste can be recovered and its disposal to landfill significantly reduced.

With this initiative, El Retiro Park strengthens its role as a major green lung of Madrid and a benchmark historic space, recognised as part of the Landscape of Light, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The project also helps to enhance visitors’ experience and to consolidate more efficient environmental management in one of the capital’s most emblematic locations.

Tedagua, together with PreZero and Gyocivil, participates in the comprehensive maintenance of El Retiro Park, contributing to the upkeep, cleaning, safety and quality of its facilities. From this perspective, the joint venture supports the Madrid City Council in the day-to-day management of one of the city’s great green lungs and in its evolution towards a more sustainable, efficient model prepared to meet today’s environmental challenges.