FCC Medio Ambiente has completed the renovation of the CITR (Centro Integral de Tratamiento) waste management facility located in Las Marinas, El Campello, in the Alicante province, Spain, which it has been managing since April 2009. FCC Medio Ambiente, part of the FCC Group, has been delivering environmental services for more than 110 years. Today, it serves 66 million people in more than 5,000 municipalities around the world. It manages annually more than 23.5 million tons of waste as a resource, through a network of more than 200 environmental recovery and recycling complexes.

The CITR is a large facility that manages extreme variations in waste input. It serves 52 municipalities in Marina Alta, Marina Baja and El Campello. FCC Medio Ambiente has chosen Stadler for the renovation, based on the long-standing relationship between the two companies. "The size of the facility, the short time in which to complete the works, and the added complexity of having to carry out the refurbishment while the plant was in operation, were factors that drove our decision to choose Stadler," said Javier Cerezo, technical manager of FCC Medio Ambiente.

"It has been a challenge for several reasons: the project was implemented in 5 different phases, and we have had to adjust to the existing infrastructure. In a new project it is easier to fit everything in because you start from scratch. In this case, precision has been critical in installing our equipment without damaging the existing machines," said Policarpo Caballero, Stadler's project manager.

With this modernisation, the CTIR has raised its performance to the level of newly built plants and will be able to provide service to the municipalities’ satisfaction for the next 15 years. Over 3 months, Stadler has replaced the technology that had become obsolete with the latest generation equipment and leading brands in the waste treatment sector, as per the statement.

The Las Marinas CITR in El Campello has been operating since 2009 and was due for a refurbishment and modernisation. This project arose from the need to meet the new regulations, which require greater recovery of materials, the treatment of organic waste from separate collection, and a more careful management of odour emissions. In addition, a facility such as the CITR has a key role to play in the circular economy,” said Cerezo.

The plant has continued to operate normally, allowing the customer to process material during the project’s implementation. Ana López, in charge of developing Stadler’s concept for the plant, said, "It is important that the plant did not stop running because it is in one of the most touristic areas of the Peninsula... It has also been a challenge because it is a high-capacity waste treatment facility, with demanding requirements in engineering, technology and workmanship. We have been able to achieve this thanks to Stadler's professional assembly team and a factory design developed for rapid on-site assembly." The five phases consisted of the installation of the new equipment in five areas of the facility: Compost, Refining, Biomethanization, MSW and selective organic collection.