Castilla-La Mancha regulates recycling centers with new recycling targets

The Governing Council of Castilla-La Mancha has approved Decree 46/2026, of September 1, which regulates the authorization and communication procedures and the technical requirements that recycling centers (puntos limpios) must meet in the autonomous community. The regulation, promoted by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha number 174, of September 10, 2026 (reference 2026/6500), and will enter into force twenty days after its publication.

The decree adapts regional regulations to Law 7/2022, of April 8, on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy, which has brought about a substantial change in the applicable legal regime. It replaces Order 32/2022, of February 4, and is coordinated with Decree 35/2024, which approved the Castilla-La Mancha Waste Prevention and Management Plan 2030, in which the role of recycling centers is recognized as an essential instrument for improving separate collection.

Recycling and separate collection objectives

The regulation establishes a calendar of binding targets for the preparation for reuse and recycling of municipal waste, as well as new separate collection obligations for bio-waste, textiles, used cooking oils, hazardous household waste, and bulky waste:

• 55% by weight for preparation for reuse and recycling in 2025.
• 60% in 2030 and 65% in 2035.
• At least 50% of municipal waste collected separately by 2035.

The diagnosis of the regional plan reveals that municipal waste represents 39.6% of the total generated and that separate collection in the region is very low, at 22.22%, which justifies the adoption of additional regulatory measures.

Types of recycling centers

The decree introduces differentiated regulation of the facilities to adapt technical requirements to the characteristics of each municipality:

• Type A fixed recycling centers: for municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants, featuring a unloading platform, scale, control booth, and areas for hazardous waste and WEEE.
• Type B fixed recycling centers: for populations of 5,000 inhabitants or fewer, on a single level and admitting only non-hazardous waste.
• Mobile recycling centers: facilities that provide periodic service in different municipalities according to established routes.
• Proximity recycling centers: urban containers on public roads or in public buildings for small appliances, light bulbs, ink cartridges, and similar items.

Authorization, deadlines, and adaptation

Fixed recycling centers (puntos limpios) are subject to authorization by the competent regional body, with a maximum resolution period of ten months and a renewable validity of eight years. Mobile recycling centers require prior notification before the start of activity. Local entities must maintain a chronological archive of collections and deliveries, kept for at least five years, and submit an annual summary report before March 1.

Existing fixed recycling centers in Castilla-La Mancha will have a maximum period of two years to adapt to the new regulation. The regulation expressly repeals Order 32/2022 and provides that contracts for the collection of textile waste and furniture and household goods be tendered preferentially through contracts reserved for Insertion Companies and Special Employment Centers of social initiative.

The decree, signed by President Emiliano García-Page Sánchez and the Councilor for Sustainable Development Mª Mercedes Gómez Rodríguez, aims to prevent uncontrolled dumping, utilize recoverable materials, and promote the circular economy and citizen participation. With it, the 919 municipalities of the region must guarantee adequate coverage of the recycling center service, adapted to the dispersion of their population.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha, no. 174, September 10, 2026, section I (General Provisions), page 31679 (official reference: 2026/6500).