Costa Blanca
Dolores reduces rubbish collection rate with its “Door-to-Door” system

The results of the door-to-door refuse collection system that Dolores City Council implemented one year ago were presented yesterday, Tuesday April 22nd. The data indicate a substantial increase in the number of residents who separate waste at the source, which has enabled the municipality to establish itself as a reference point in the Vega Baja region and, more importantly, to decrease the waste collection rate for its residents by 2025.
Mayor Joaquín Hernández underscored that “households are obligated to pay for their consumption and pollution, as mandated by law. Additionally, municipalities are obligated to cover the cost of waste collection services through fees.” The Dolores City Council, in collaboration with the concessionaire Urbaser, has successfully implemented a door-to-door collection system in this context.
The results speak for themselves:
Packaging: The collection increased by 83% in comparison to the previous year and by 106% in comparison to the year before the system was implemented.
Paper and Cardboard: A 95% increase in the collection of paper and cardboard, which corresponds to an additional 7,800 kilogrammes collected through door-to-door services. The increase is 96% in comparison to January of the previous year.
Organic Waste: Dolores, despite the absence of a brown container, accumulates an average of 26,000 kilos per month through the door-to-door system, resulting in a total of 200 tonnes. The fact that Dolores, a city with 9,000 residents, collects over 60% of the organic refuse from the entire Vega Baja region, which has a population of 400,000, is a significant fact.
Waste Fraction (Grey Container): The municipality has reduced the quantity of waste destined for this container by 30%, resulting in 139,530 fewer kilograms being sent to the landfill since the implementation of the door-to-door system. This container costs the municipality €42.80 per tonne. A 35% average reduction in the refuse fraction since the system’s inception, which is equivalent to approximately 90,000 kilogrammes.
Joaquín Hernández underscored that the commitment of residents has been essential, despite the fact that implementation necessitated educational and informational support. “He stated that European law establishes explicit separation objectives, and the sole means of ensuring their fulfilment is through a service that facilitates the process, such as door-to-door service.”
The mayor clarified that the installation of smart container islands, which is estimated to cost €2 million, was not an option due to the fact that user identification does not ensure appropriate separation. Additionally, the municipality would incur financial penalties in the event that it fails to achieve European objectives.
According to a survey, the door-to-door service is satisfactory to eight out of ten consumers. The Environmental Educator, the Department, and municipal personnel were thanked by the City Council for their assistance in coordinating with the homeowners’ associations and providing information.
Dolores has become one of the only municipalities in Spain to decrease its waste fee in 2025, due to the success of the door-to-door system in 2023, in contrast to other municipalities in the Vega Baja that have updated and increased their waste fees. In addition, the registration of over 200 previously unaccounted-for users has been facilitated by the appropriate monitoring of residents, who are responsible for paying according to their generation.
The rate is anticipated to decrease even further by 2026, as the door-to-door system will enable residents who correctly separate refuse at the source to be identified, thereby rewarding them for their environmental commitment. By utilising a device and wristbands, the City Council can precisely monitor the participation of each household through the bin-reading system.
Dolores, therefore, serves as a model for refuse management, illustrating that a citizen-collaborative, efficient door-to-door system can not only enhance the environment but also directly benefit residents’ finances.
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Costa Blanca
Man arrested for robbery with force in Elche hospital and another for assault

National Police officers have arrested a 43-year-old man for allegedly perpetrating a burglary within a hospital in Elche. The private security personnel were aware of the suspect, who had broken into 14 containers in various locations he had visited, and they notified the police.
Although the individual fled to a nearby neighbourhood, patrols promptly apprehended him. Among his possessions, they found a variety of medical supplies and instruments purportedly used to break into the lockers.
This individual was apprehended by officers for the purported offence of burglary, as determined by the information gained. Following the police investigation, the detainee appeared before the investigating court on duty.
Arrested for an attempted assault at a different facility in Elche
An incident of violence against medical staff occurred at another local hospital in the wake of an attempted assault by a 34-year-old man who had recently been discharged.
The private security team of the centre was compelled to promptly intervene in response to the attacker’s aggressive behaviour, thereby preventing the situation from escalating and causing additional harm.
The individual was promptly apprehended by a police detail, who identified him as the alleged perpetrator of a crime that involved the assault and damage of healthcare workers. They subsequently arrested him.
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Costa Blanca
FGV will allocate 1.4 million euros to cleaning the rolling stock and workshops of the Alicante TRAM

Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) will allocate €1,415,203.59 to clean the rolling stock and workshops of Alicante TRAM for a period of one year from the commencement of the contract, which also includes the possibility of an additional year’s extension.
The contracted services ensure the quality and frequency of the necessary cleanings, both daily and non-daily, as well as any unforeseen incidents or problems, such as graffiti or any other form of vandalism, by considering all the requirements associated with the cleaning of TRAM d’Alacant’s rolling stock and workshops.
At present, the rolling stock of TRAM d’Alacant comprises 37 units: 22 Bombardier 4200 series trams; 9 TRAM trains from the former Vossloh España company, which is now Stadler Rail Valencia; and 6 dual-drive (electro-diesel) trains from Stadler Rail Valencia, which are manufactured in Albuixech. These trains were retired after the modernisation work on Line 9 between Benidorm and Dénia was completed.
The 37 units for maintenance are housed in the three facilities that are currently available: El Campello, Benidorm, and Dénia.
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Costa Blanca
Police in Alicante train officers to patrol on motorcycles with greater safety and efficiency

This week, nearly twenty agents from Alicante, Elche, Benidorm, Castellón, and Valencia have participated in a National Police course on motorcyclist safety specialisation.
The objective of the course developed in Alicante by the national police’s road training unit is to “ensure that all colleagues are safer and provide a more efficient service to the “citizenship,” according to officer Jose Manuel Paniagua, one of the four instructors from Madrid, Valencia, and Castellón who have taught the course.
The instructors have been instructing fifteen unit agents of prevention and reaction (UPR) on how to patrol more safely on their large-displacement motorcycles, which weigh between 160 and 200 kilogrammes each.
Paniagua has emphasised the importance of technical mastery of the vehicle in various scenarios, as well as visual planning and anticipation.
In order to achieve this, they have been conducting closed-circuit exercises on a track and on provincial roads with curved sections. Some of the exercises that are practiced in the course include emergency braking, changing direction and curve paths, getting on and off moving motorcycles and stops, and conducting low-level escorts while maintaining balance without putting your feet on the ground.
The instructor asserts that the course enables the participants to “improve the defects or vices they have when driving,” despite the fact that the majority of them are seasoned agents who provide service to the Alicante Motorcycle Groups and other cities in the province.
The course is derived from the English Driving Style, which has been embraced by numerous security forces and organisations worldwide. “It is a model that prioritises anticipation, security, and vehicle control, without compromising efficiency or reaction capacity,” explains Paniagua.
Instructors prioritise three fundamental aspects in their interactions with the agents: the agents’ feet and their position while driving, the use of brakes, and the gaze. The gaze is considered crucial for safety, as it provides the driver with anticipation.
Motorcycles enable the National Police to respond more promptly to emergencies; however, they also pose a greater risk to police officers. The objective of the course is to guarantee the safety of officers while they are serving and travelling. Consequently, the instructors emphasised to the police that they are unable to assist anyone if they do not arrive at the correct location.
The officer also concludes that the agents have been trained in the fundamental skills of stress management, decision-making under pressure, and reading the environment, which are necessary to intervene in actual scenarios without compromising the safety of oneself or others.
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