Zaragoza City Council Barcelona (Ajuntament de Barcelona) has approved a pilot scheme using fire-resistant metal containers at badly affected sites. The move follows repeated fires in rubbish containers in the districts of Guinardó and Baix Guinardó in recent months. The decision was taken at the Comissió de Presidència, Drets de Ciutadania, Participació, Seguretat i Prevenció unanimously.
The initiative stems from a motion by the Esquerra Republicana The socialist group on the city council PSC, which holds the mayor's office, voted in favour. The resolution provides for the trial installation of durable, flame-retardant metal containers at selected points around the city. In parallel, the city will systematically identify fire-risk hotspots and review existing container locations, taking greater care over distances from façades, windows and entrances.
ERC councillor Jordi Coronas justified the motion on the grounds of residents' safety. It was not just a matter of damaged street furniture, he said, but of people being woken at night by smoke or seeing flames close to their windows. He also called for a thorough investigation of the incidents and measures to reduce risks. The commission's unanimous approval is seen as a signal that the groups support preventive measures to tackle this recurring problem.
The pilot scheme is intended to establish whether metal containers can effectively reduce the impact of deliberate arson. Alongside fire safety, the city will assess practical aspects: everyday handling, noise during emptying, compatibility with existing collection and disposal systems, and costs. The results and any potential side effects of using the containers on residential streets are to be documented and factored into site planning.
The resolution did not specify dates, quantities or a budget. The relevant services of the Ajuntament de Barcelona are to work out these details in the next stages. Closer coordination is planned between street cleaning, security and prevention teams, along with updates for the neighbourhoods affected on the test's progress and evaluation.
The background is a rise in incidents in parts of the Horta-Guinardó district, to which the city had already responded in specific cases by relocating or temporarily removing containers. The pilot now approved brings these individual measures together in a structured process. Barcelona City Council will decide whether, and to what extent, to roll out fire-resistant metal containers more widely based on the test findings.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).