Minimum services guarantee waste treatment on the Costa del Sol

The General Directorate of Labor, Safety and Occupational Health of the Regional Ministry of Employment, Enterprise and Self-Employment has issued a resolution, dated August 11, 2026, guaranteeing the operation of the public service provided by the company Urbaser, S.A.U. at the Costa del Sol Environmental Complex. The measure, which establishes minimum services in the face of a labor conflict, is published in the Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA) number 160, of August 19, 2026, as text no. 11148.

The resolution directly affects the collection and treatment of waste in the Costa del Sol region, an essential service for the health and environment of the area.

An essential public service

Urbaser, S.A.U. is the concessionaire company for the public service of urban solid waste and light packaging treatment, as well as the selective collection of light packaging and paper-cardboard at the Costa del Sol Environmental Complex. The resolution from the General Directorate of Labor, Safety and Occupational Health ensures that this service continues to be provided despite the labor conflict, setting the minimum personnel necessary for its operation.

The establishment of minimum services is the mechanism that allows for the reconciliation of the workers’ right to strike with the protection of essential services for the community. In this case, the treatment of urban waste is considered an essential service due to its direct impact on public health and the environment.

Scope of the measure

The resolution, spanning five pages, details the minimum services that must be maintained during the conflict. Aspects covered by the measure include:

• The treatment of urban solid waste at the Costa del Sol Environmental Complex.
• The treatment of light packaging.
• The selective collection of light packaging.
• The selective collection of paper-cardboard.

These services ensure that waste management in the region is not interrupted, avoiding accumulations that could generate sanitary or environmental problems.

Regulatory framework

The resolution falls within the competencies of the Regional Ministry of Employment, Enterprise and Self-Employment of the Regional Government of Andalusia, which, through its General Directorate of Labor, Safety and Occupational Health, ensures the maintenance of essential services in situations of collective conflict. The publication in BOJA number 160, corresponding to Wednesday, August 19, 2026, provides official publicity to the measure and makes it mandatory.

The decision is adopted in a context of labor conflict within the concessionaire company, without the resolution detailing the specific terms of the negotiation, which remains subject to ordinary labor processing.

Relevance for the region

The guarantee of minimum services at the Costa del Sol Environmental Complex is key for the municipalities of the region, which depend on this infrastructure for the daily management of their waste. The continuity of the service prevents the collapse of waste collection and treatment, protecting public health and the natural environment of one of the areas with the highest tourist and demographic pressure in Andalusia.

With this resolution, the Regional Government of Andalusia ensures that, despite the labor conflict, citizens and companies on the Costa del Sol maintain a waste management service that is operational and compliant with environmental regulations.

Source: Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA), no. 160, August 19, 2026, section 3. Other provisions (official reference: text no. 11148).