Almost every person here recycles and is very careful about what they do with their waste. Below, I will tell you how trash is dealt with in Barcelona, what type of trash is recycled, and why it is important to recycle. I will also tell you a little about a new community program in the barrio where I live.
I learned about the way that food waste, trash, plastics and glass are thrown away or recycled, and why recycling is important to the community. On every street, there are bins where people can throw communal trash, plastic, glass, cardboard or food waste into separate areas. Then, a truck comes to pick up the waste a few times every week. Unlike in the U.S. where each family might have their own trash bin outside of their house or apartment, people in Barcelona must bring their trash to a large communal bin and separate it.
The community has the need to separate their trash because recycling can reduce pollution and prevent waste from piling up in a landfill. Many people worry that pollution is a contributing factor to climate change. When we recycle, the glass bottles can be melted down and used to create different glass shapes, or the food can become soil for plants to grow.
