Only 29% of waste management companies have specific software tools

According to data from the study 'Digitalization of waste management companies in Spain' prepared by TEIMAS, Galicia, with 71% of the total, is the Autonomous Community with the most digitized waste management companies, far behind the second, which is Navarra, with 55%.

The least digitized regions in terms of waste management are Andalusia (12%), Asturias (13%) and the Balearic Islands (14%).

Of the companies with digital tools, slightly more than half (56%) are authorized to manage at least one type of hazardous waste.

Barely a quarter (28.5%) of the companies involved in waste management in Spain analyzed in a study have specific software tools to carry out this task, and of these only 35.4% have their own software developed specifically for their use. These are the data from the study "Digitalization of waste management companies in Spain", prepared by TEIMAS.

In this work, we have analyzed the state of digitization of 508 companies in our country authorized for waste management, obtaining data that can be extrapolated to the whole of Spain.

For Miguel Varela, CEO and co-founder of TEIMAS: "Waste management involves complex processes and tasks as each material requires a different treatment. In this sense, digitization is becoming an indispensable piece as it favors the proper treatment of each waste so that it can be reintegrated into the value chain, optimizing processes from start to finish and reducing costs". "In addition," Varela adds, "it allows more precise compliance with national and international regulations, which are becoming increasingly demanding.

Of the total number of companies that have already implemented a digitization system for resource management, 64.5% have a specific commercial product. Of the latter group, 60.3% use software available in the cloud, which can be accessed through an Internet connection, while the remaining 39.7% use a system installed in their technological infrastructure.

Differences by Autonomous Communities

Differentiating by Autonomous Communities the data of the most digitized companies in terms of waste management, according to the TEIMAS report, it is observed that Galicia is the region with the highest digitization in this area, with 70.9%, followed by Navarra with 54.5%. Madrid, Castilla y León and Murcia are the next autonomous regions with the most digitized environmental management, reaching 42.8% of companies.

In contrast, Andalusia is the autonomous region with the lowest digital presence in authorized waste management companies that have specific software, with 12.3%. It is closely followed by Asturias with 13.3% and the Balearic Islands, with 14.2%. This is followed by La Rioja and the Canary Islands with 20%.

"This could be explained by the fact that Galicia was one of the first Autonomous Communities to have electronic waste processing systems (SIRGa, in 2005) and by the presence of TEIXO, one of the most popular digitizing agents in the sector," Varela points out.

Depending on the type of resource

In the study, TEIMAS also took into account the digitalization status of the companies according to the type of waste managed. In that sense, 55.7% of the companies that have specific software are authorized to manage at least one type of hazardous waste, and the rest of the companies (44.3%) only manage non-hazardous waste.

Integral managers, capable of managing hazardous and non-hazardous resources, are precisely the companies that claim to have specific software solutions to carry out their activity (39.3%). They are followed by companies that manage metal waste (37.2%), and those that manage end-of-life vehicles and textile waste, both with 35.8%.

The companies that have the least digital solutions, according to this study, is a section called 'Others' that includes sanitary waste, food, toner, etc., with 13.4%. Also at the bottom of the list are companies that manage wood and forestry waste (15%) and those that manage organic waste, slurry and sludge (16.9%).

In this context, the CEO of TEIMAS emphasizes that: "There is much room for improvement in the digitization of the waste management company. As can be seen from the data, just over a quarter of the companies surveyed claim to have a specific tool for their activity. This is certainly low for companies whose activity requires a large number of complex processes: logistics, plant control, traceability, regulatory compliance, etc. Digitization would significantly reduce the cost and time invested in this type of task.

In his opinion, the main benefit of using digital tools in the process of managing different types of waste is that they can be integrated back into the production chain in line with the circular economy model. "We must not forget that, in the coming years," he adds, "they will be marked by sustainability, traceability and digitization in environmental matters, which will mean that administrations, companies and citizens will be actively involved.

Download the Study on the digitalization of waste management companies in Spain.