After stating its official commitment to join the Zero Waste certification in December 2022, Hernani has become the first Basque city to achieve the Zero Waste Certification in the Basque Country, with an accreditation of 3 stars out of a possible 5. On 22 December last, the City Council held a plenary session in which it approved a declaration of interest in participating in the European programme and committed itself to a third-party audit.

The Zero Waste Cities Certification is a European third-party assessed standard. Created by Zero Waste Europe and implemented by its sister organisation Mission Zero Academy (MiZA), it seeks to fast-track the transition to zero waste and implement a circular economy in European towns and cities at the local level.

Rezero, a non-profit foundation that promotes waste prevention and responsible consumption, has assisted the Hernani City Council in emphasising the path towards zero waste taken by the public administration, social entities, and companies in Hernani

. This environmental organisation has supported the city in identifying and collecting evidence regarding the initiatives implemented over the last few years, including door-to-door separate waste collection, promoting decentralised composting (domestic and community), and pay-as-you-throw for large waste generators.

The auditing agency is Friends of the Earth, which has advocated and promoted zero waste since its beginnings. Hernani has been promoting initiatives and actions aimed at zero waste for more than ten years. A relevant fact in Hernani is the low generation of waste fraction per capita, 62.99 kg/inhab/yr, registered in 2020 when the average per capita in the Basque Country was 251.81 kg/inhab/yr. In short, waste generation per capita in Hernani is 75% lower than the average for the Basque Country.

The Zero Waste Certification consists of 5 steps: (i) A statement of interest in becoming a Zero Waste city, (ii) the commitment to become a Zero Waste city - the application phase, (iii) the implementation of this system, (iv) its certification and (v) the implementation of yearly improvements. Each of these steps is completed with the support and advice of waste and resource management experts. The assessment for certification is based on a scoring system, which includes mandatory and optional criteria.

The scoring criteria are rated according to the ambition and impact of each policy implemented. The sum of the points defines the city’s certification level and its subsequent number of ‘stars’.

Following certification, cities are required to monitor their activity and make annual improvements to enhance the results achieved. They are subject to further audits every three years to confirm their Certification status, with the possibility of upgrading to a maximum of 5 stars.

Hernani has now joined other European cities, such as El Boalo-Cerceda-Mataelpino (Madrid); Torrelles de Llobregat (Catalonia); Bled, Gorje, Vrhnika, Log-dragomer and Borovnica (all in Slovenia) and Capannori (Italy), in being among the first municipalities to be certified under this new programme. Other large cities that require more work to implement important measures are Barcelona and Leipzig, which recently became candidates to start the certification process.

Xabier Lertxundi Asteasuinzarra, Mayor of Hernani, stressed that “this new certification system highlights the efforts of the Council, local businesses, shops and citizens working together for so many years to minimise waste generation. Being in the same league as cities in Northern Europe is extremely rewarding”.

Jon Kortajarena, an expert from the Garbitania public refuse collection company, stressed that “it is essential to look back and see everything that has been done to date compiling all the work and material produced. Furthermore, we are laying the foundations for organising the improvements we can make from today onwards”.

Rosa García, Director of Rezero, explains that “the Zero Waste Cities Certification is a useful programme for municipalities that want to address the climate emergency because it is an excellent tool for those who are at the beginning of the path towards zero waste and for those who are already more experienced, as is the case of Hernani and other municipalities in the Basque Country”.

Joan Marc Simon, Director and founder of Zero Waste Europe, who has advised entities such as Zero Zabor for many years, said, “I congratulate the city of Hernani for being one of the first to achieve this certification in the Basque Country. Let’s hope that interest will grow in doing things correctly, as this programme benefits public administrations, citizens and companies that want to move towards zero waste and thus reduce their carbon footprint”.

Kaisa Karjalainen, Mission Zero Academy coordinator, stated, “Hernani has demonstrated leadership in zero waste for several years with impressive results. It’s great to see them renewing their commitment to zero waste and getting certified to verify their progress and the impact of their policies. Having an example in the Basque Country will surely inspire other cities to take the leap soon”.