Ecoener joins forces with San Bartolomé de Tirajana to remove waste from Los Rodeos Alto neighbourhood

03 | 29 | 2021

Ecoener joins forces with San Bartolomé de Tirajana to remove waste from Los Rodeos Alto neighbourhood

  • Neighbours have been demanding the removal of the illegal Los Rodeos Alto landfill for 16 years.
  • The renewable energy company, which is well established in the area, is collaborating with the city council on this initiative.
  • Ecoener is strongly committed to preserving the environment and contributing to the social development of the communities it serves.

In the Los Rodeos Alto area of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, 15 families have lived in poor, almost uninhabitable conditions for over 16 years. Rubbish and abandoned household goods have piled up around their dwellings, turning them into a “breeding ground for rats” which, according to neighbours, even manage to find their way into their homes.

Ecoener, an energy generation company specialising in long-term renewable technology, became aware of these families’ situation through complaints made on social media and accepted the local communities request for assistance. The town councillor for Tourism, Urban Planning and Environmental Policies, Alejandro Marichal, sought Ecoener’s collaboration in removing the rubbish accumulated in the neighbourhood.

The work to clear the rubbish took three days, and a total of 75,000 kilos of illegally dumped waste and debris was removed. This vast amount of rubbish had accumulated over several years, gradually causing significant distress among the neighbours, who also participated in the clean-up initiative. The effort entailed removing the waste with lorries, sorting the rubbish by type and transferring it to legal landfill sites.

The city officials thanked the company for their contribution to the effort as well as for the demonstration of the humanity towards the families. The city confirmed that it would have been impossible for them to access and clean up the area, because the land is privately owned. Councilman Alejandro Marichal said, “The company’s willingness to help and their generous donation of Ecoener machinery, staff and time to help these families, is a notable gesture for which the company receives our wholehearted thanks.”

This initiative, in seeking to improve the living conditions in the town, goes hand in hand with Ecoener’s commitment to developing the regions and supporting the communities within its footprint. This aligns with the company’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and its active contribution through local activities to fulfilling the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Ecoener is one of the largest renewable energy generation companies in the Canary Islands. Currently, the company has seven wind farms in the area and plans to continue developing projects that reduce CO2 emissions and provide 100% renewable energy electricity for family consumption, whilst boosting the local economy and employment. Recently, Ecoener was awarded 15% of the total subsidies granted through the SolCan aid programme’s first photovoltaic capacity tender (ERDF). Twelve of Ecoener’s 15 projects submitted topped the list with the highest scores of the 65 selected. These 12 projects are located in San Bartolomé de Tirajana.

Fernando Rodríguez, vice-president of Ecoener, said: “Sustainability is a one of our priorities, and our commitment is firm: to preserve the environment and contribute to social development. We respect and listen to the communities in the areas where we operate, which is why it is so fulfilling for us to help the San Bartolomé de Tirajana city council in this civic initiative, which translates into improved living conditions for many families.”