Spanish financed landfill opens in Honduras

On Thursday, the El Pinalito landfill opened in Gracias municipality of Honduras' Lempira department.

The 68.7mn lempiras (US$2.85mn) project was financed through Spain's debt conversion program to Honduras, which is managed by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (Cabei).

In addition to the mechanized landfill, the project also entailed building a leachate treatment plant, as well as equipping the landfill with the relevant machinery to collect, transport and dispose of solid waste.

Works on the landfill were launched in June last year and carried out by Spanish engineering firm INYPSA.

The initiative will directly benefit 66,000 residents of the Gracias and Belén municipalities, and indirectly 31,000 inhabitants of neighboring municipalities.

Founded in 2005, Spain's debt conversion program to Honduras focuses on financing environment, education and renewable energy projects. Projects are required to be implemented by companies, institutions or non-profit organizations from Spain or Honduras, and involve the participation of Spanish companies or the import of goods and services from the European country.

PICTURED: Honduran and Cabei authorities attend the landfill's opening ceremony. CREDIT: CABEI.