Pilar de la Horadada Council has raised serious concerns about ongoing problems at the Dolores waste transfer plant, which it says have been affecting rubbish collection since before the summer. According to the council, delays in unloading and sorting have led to drivers working shifts of more than twelve hours, with some lorries returning to Pilar de la Horadada without unloading their waste.

The council says average waiting times at the plant have increased from about twenty minutes to as long as three hours, and on some days almost six. It has warned that these delays may breach health and safety and road transport regulations, particularly in relation to drivers’ rest periods, overtime, and journey planning. Complaints have been submitted in writing to the management of the waste consortium, Vega Baja Sostenible.

Pilar de la Horadada has also questioned the plant’s refusal to accept mattresses, which are being redirected to a facility in Murcia. The council argues that European waste classifications define mattresses as household bulky waste and should therefore be accepted in Dolores. Mayor José María Pérez has called the situation unacceptable, saying the town pays its fees in full and is demanding an urgent solution ahead of busier holiday periods.