6th Edition #GreenFlagMovement: campaign for sustainability in the hospitality Industry

Mojácar Council and more than 87 of the locality’s hospitality industry establishments are this summer taking part in the sixth edition of Ecovidrio’s #GreenFlagMovement. With this campaign, the only specialised SCRAP (Extended Producer Responsibility Collective Systems) that manages selective collection on the ground and addresses the sustainability of glass containers from the source, yet another year seeks to recognise the efforts of the local hospitality industry and the activism of coastal municipalities for circularity during the summer, especially regarding the correct management of their waste.

Hence Mojácar is competing with up to 50 municipalities in Andalucía with the aim of achieving or revalidating the Ecovidrio “GreenFlag for Sustainability”, which Algeciras and Barbate were awarded in the last edition of this initiative.

As a new feature, in addition to the highly-valued Green Flag, this year the municipalities in each autonomous community that have obtained the highest score will be awarded a cleanup day on one of their beaches, which Ecovidrio will carry out in collaboration with the Paisaje Limpio organisation, an entity specialised in coordinating these types of environmental initiatives.

In addition, this year Ecovidrio will recognise the three most responsible and committed to sustainability hospitality establishments in Andalucía, evaluating their initiatives for improving waste recycling management, their energy and water consumption and their commitment to sustainable purchasing, among other variables.

In the words of Roberto Fuentes, Management Deputy Director for the Ecovidrio Eastern Zone and head of the Green Flags Movement: “Yet another year we are very proud to be able to celebrate a new edition of the Green Flags Movement and to once again count on the support of hospitality business owners and municipalities in responding to the significant increase in waste generation registered in coastal areas with high tourist numbers in summer. I would like to thank all the municipalities and the HORECA sector for their commitment and for throwing themselves into this competition to promote recycling and the sustainable development of our environment.”

Third Barometer on hospitality sustainability on our coasts

As part of the sixth edition of the #GreenFlagsMovement, Ecovidrio will launch a new edition of the Barometer on Hospitality Sustainability in coastal areas. This is the third edition of this initiative, which aims to evaluate the implementation of sustainable practices in the HORECA sector, analysing four key areas: efficient waste management, energy efficiency, responsible consumption and sustainable water use.

In the second edition of the barometer, in which more than 12,000 hospitality establishments took part, it was revealed that seven out of 10 establishments located in coastal areas already employ sustainability measures in their business management. Among the regions analysed, Catalonia led the ranking with a score of 8.7 out of 10, followed by the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands, both with 7.6. Andalucía (7.4) and Murcia Region (7.3) completed the list of the highest-rated communities.

A commitment to circularity on our coasts

At national level, this year more than 180 municipalities and more than 15,000 restaurants, bars and beach bars will join the #GreenFlagsMovement. This year, as well as Andalucía, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Murcia, the campaign will include Cantabria, making it six Spanish coastal regions. The 181 participating municipalities in these regions will compete to win one of the prized 10 Green Flags for Sustainability awarded by Ecovidrio, which will be given out as follows: two in Andalucía, two in the Balearic Islands, two in Catalonia, two in the Valencian Community and one in each of the other participating communities (Cantabria and Murcia).

Through the commitment of the municipalities in the participating regions, Ecovidrio seeks to address the increase in glass container generation in our country’s coastal areas during the summer season. During the summer, a third of the glass containers put into circulation are consumed, and nearly 50% of single-use glass container waste comes from the hospitality sector. Therefore, their participation is essential in moving toward a more circular model with lower carbon emissions.

With the aim of helping participating municipalities and hospitality establishments with the selective separation of glass containers, Ecovidrio will install a total of 300 new skips and provide them with nearly 1,500 free containers for transporting their waste. As in previous editions, it will also provide hospitality business owners with environmental and circular economy training, with 100 environmental educators visiting all participating bars, beach bars and restaurants this summer.

To be in the running as a Green Flag winner, each municipality will have to meet a series of requirements based on criteria such as an increase in the volume of selective collection of glass containers in respect to the previous year; registration of participation in the campaign by at least 50% of local hospitality establishments; and promoting the campaign among the hospitality industry and raising awareness about it among residents and visitors.

Thanks to the commitment of municipalities and hospitality sector owners, more than 62,800 tons of glass containers were collected during the last edition of the Green Flags Movement, 16% more than in the summer of 2023. Recycling these containers achieved:

• Avoiding the emission of more than 36,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, the equivalent of removing more than 17,000 cars from circulation for a year.

• Saving 44,800 MWh of energy, equivalent to saving almost €6 million in financial savings.

• Avoiding the extraction of more than 75,000 tons of raw materials, equivalent to seven times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.