Mijas, Spain, Achieves National Recycling leadership with Historic Green Flag Award
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Mijas has been recognized as the leading municipality in Spain for glass recycling, achieving the highest score ever recorded in the nation’s Green Flags Movement and demonstrating a powerful commitment to environmental sustainability. The city’s success, officially acknowledged on November 7, 2025, is attributed to a remarkable collaborative effort involving residents, businesses, and local authorities.
Key Achievements & Impact
The collaborative effort this summer resulted in the recovery of 727 tons of glass – equivalent to over 6,000 points within the Green Flags Movement scoring system – and an estimated savings of 70,000 euros for the Mijas City Council. This achievement marks a notable milestone for the municipality, surpassing the performance of 181 other participating cities across Spain.
Official Recognition and Community Festivity
The Mijas City Council formally received the Ecovidrio Green Flag on November 7, 2025, at a ceremony held at the Commonwealth of Municipalities of Campo de Gibraltar. Ecovidrio representatives emphasized the unprecedented nature of Mijas’s accomplishment. Representatives from other recognized municipalities – La Línea de la Concepción, Algeciras, Barbate, Rota, Fuengirola, and Lepe – were also in attendance, alongside key local officials including First Deputy Mayor juan Carlos Cuevas and Councilor for Street Cleaning, Eloy Belmonte.
A Collective Effort Drives Success
According to a statement from the Councilor for Street Cleaning, Eloy Belmonte, the Green Flag award “belongs to all Mijeños.” He underscored the broad involvement of various community groups, including beaches, operational services, local dialog teams, schools, neighborhood associations, taxi drivers, and, crucially, the hospitality sector, which achieved “almost one hundred percent” participation. Belmonte further noted that the initiative represents “not a final point, but rather a boost to continue improving year after year.”
Unprecedented Scoring and Environmental Impact
Jesús Gutiérrez, an area manager at Ecovidrio, confirmed that Mijas’s score was unlike any seen in the ten-year history of the campaign, stating the city was “far ahead” of all other municipalities. Gutiérrez highlighted the effective coordination between the City Council, local businesses, and citizens, emphasizing the positive environmental impact of the collective effort – including reduced emissions, energy savings, and decreased reliance on raw material extraction.
Civic Pride and future goals
First Deputy mayor Juan Carlos Cuevas echoed the sentiment of community ownership, stating that the victory “belongs to the neighbors” and reflects a growing civic awareness. he explained that the success stemmed from “the daily commitment of thousands of families, businesses and professionals” who have integrated recycling into their daily routines, proving that “when Mijas sets a goal, it meets it.”
The City Council also extended congratulations to La Línea de la Concepción for its Green Flag award and acknowledged the continued success of Algeciras, Barbate, Rota, Fuengirola, and Lepe in revalidating their awards.
National Impact and Continued Momentum
In the 2025 edition of the Green Flags Movement, over 66,800 tons of glass were collected across Spain, with participation from 165 municipalities and more than 14,000 hospitality establishments. Mijas’s outstanding performance has earned the city recognition as the most outstanding municipality in the country.
As a special recognition of its environmental leadership, Mijas hosted a dedicated beach cleaning day on November 13 on El Chaparral beach, engaging approximately 100 students from the IES Sierra de mijas. During the event, 90 kilograms of small waste were removed, and educational initiatives were implemented to raise awareness about the impact of items like cigarette butts, wipes, and plastics on the coastline.
The City Council views this recognition as a catalyst for future initiatives, including expanded environmental education programs, strengthened collaboration with community organizations, and continued management practices that directly benefit residents.The overarching objective, officials emphasize, is to “protect the environment, reduce costs and turn each advance into another reason for pride for Mijas.”
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