The Spanish city of Mollet del Vallès was awarded a European Green Leaf in the inaugural year of the competition, recognising its commitment to achieving better environmental outcomes. Located in Catalonia, Spain, Mollet del Vallès has a population of approximately 52 000 and covers an area of about 10.8 km². The town lies in the Besòs River valley, within the outer urban ring to the southwest of the Vallès Oriental region, about 20 km from Barcelona. As a key municipality in the Vallès Oriental metropolitan area, also known as Baix Vallès, it plays a vital role in regional sustainability efforts.
The jury was particularly impressed by Mollet del Vallès’ strong focus on citizen involvement, its comprehensive urban mobility plan, local air quality initiatives, water management efforts and advancements in waste management and the green economy. The city's urban mobility plan prioritises pedestrian movement and public transportation. A unique feature of this plan is the mobility round table, a platform for discussions with stakeholders designed to enhance public engagement during the planning process. To further encourage citizen participation, the municipality organised typical commuter trips where users provided feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of different routes. These initiatives have led to a 25% increase in bus usage over the past five years, reflecting the success of the city’s sustainable transport efforts.
Mollet del Vallès has also implemented an ambitious local air quality action plan aimed at reducing air pollution. Since 2007, a permanent air quality monitoring station has recorded a steady decline in airborne particulates, showcasing the effectiveness of the city’s integrated approach to promoting sustainable transport and reducing emissions. Public awareness campaigns, such as the ‘Cleaner Air’ initiative conducted throughout 2013, further highlighted the municipality's commitment to improving air quality.
The city has also taken proactive steps to manage noise pollution through ‘acoustic zoning’, identifying and classifying different land uses to improve and maintain the acoustic environment. This zoning process considers urbanised areas, new developments, transportation infrastructure, public facilities and protected natural areas. By regulating both neighbourhood activities and transport noise infrastructure, acoustic zoning serves as a key tool in resolving sound conflicts across the municipality.
In the area of waste management, Mollet del Vallès introduced in 2008 the ‘Green Point Mobile Initiative’, supported by funding from the Catalan Government. This special waste collection vehicle travels throughout the municipality, providing citizens convenient access to recycling services. Residents can deposit various types of waste into designated bins on the vehicle, which then transport the materials to the Green Point Fix waste facility for recovery, recycling or appropriate treatment. The mobile collection service has seen over 7 500 users annually. To encourage greater participation, the city introduced a loyalty card system offering a 10% waste tax discount for frequent users. Additionally, a new furniture dismantling service has been implemented at the Green Point Fix facilities to boost recycling efforts further, promoting the recovery and reuse of materials across the municipality.
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For more information on Mollet del Vallès' environmental initiatives and achievements, you can explore Mollet del Vallès' application, which outlines the city’s sustainability strategies and community engagement efforts. The EGL 2015 Good Practice Report highlights successful initiatives and practices that set the city apart, while the EGLA Technical Assessment Synopsis Report – Award Cycle 2015 provides an in-depth evaluation of Mollet del Vallès' performance across key environmental criteria.