Eight trash cans set on fire in Barcelona and neighboring cities every day

Trash cans on fire are still an ongoing problem across Catalonia, as between January 1 and September 26, 726 containers caught fire in Barcelona itself. This is an average of three trash cans per day. The figure increases to eight daily if we add 1,360 cases from neighboring cities to the Catalan capital.

Figures shared by Catalan and Barcelona firefighters units to the Catalan News Agency (ACN) also state that despite the overall number, these are still a small part of the emergencies they have to attend.

However, emergency units consider it a "good idea" for manufacturers to use "less inflammable materials" to reduce the number of container fires.

Around 80% of all the fires on trash cans occur in Barcelona, despite reports of similar blazes across Catalonia.

Currently, in Barcelona, most of these containers are made of plastic. While local authorities know how easily these trash cans are on fire, they have a "positive outcome regarding noise, considering that there are many bins across the city that are emptied very often."

Unions warn that these fires could cause a larger blaze if they reach any nearby façade.

There are 25,029 containers in the Catalan capital.

Outside of Barcelona, in neighboring cities, there have been 1,360 fires, with 296 at Baix Llobregat county, 153 in Maresme, 368 in the Barcelonès, 138 in the Vallès Oriental, and 405 in the Vallès Occidental county. These are similar figures to previous years.

In 2020, 1,574 trash cans caught fire, 1,981 in 2021, 1,852 in 2022, and 1,920 in 2023.

Across Catalonia, the figure has almost halved, as so far in 2024, firefighters went to 2,676 containers, and in 2023, it was 4,013, similar to 2022's 4,091 and 2021's 4,166.