The new organic material treatment plant of Madrid City Council, Los Cantiles, is already operating at full capacity after having started the commissioning process last December.  The plant is located in the Valdemingómez Technology Park, where all the facilities for the treatment of household waste generated daily in the city of Madrid are concentrated  The contract for the design, construction project, works and operation, with a total value of 48.5 million euros, was awarded in 2021 by Madrid City Council to FCC Medio Ambiente in a joint venture with other companies in the sector, with a period of 21 months for construction and commissioning and three years of operation, with a possible extension of two years.

This facility composts the digestate produced at Las Dehesas Biomethanisation Plant, also located in the Valdemingómez Technology Park, where the Organic Fraction of Separate Collection (FORS) generated in the city of Madrid is processed to obtain biomethane from the waste.

The main aim of this project is to close the cycle of organic waste from selective collection by obtaining compost of optimum quality for use as an organic soil improver.

The new Los Cantiles composting plant has a total processing capacity of over 105,000 tonnes per year from around 82,000 tonnes of digestate per year, which will be mixed with around 23,000 tonnes of vegetable matter from pruning, which acts as a structuring material, and more than 37,000 tonnes of refined compost will be produced. It is a fully automated and highly sensorised treatment process, which takes place entirely in confined buildings, thus avoiding the emission of suspended particles and bad odours. This facility, the largest of its kind in the Community of Madrid, and one of the largest in Spain, incorporates the most advanced technologies to convert the digestate of organic matter into high-quality fertiliser.

Los Cantiles follows the highest standards of energy efficiency and several measures have been implemented to reduce its carbon footprint. It has the first office building with Passivhaus Premium certification in Spain and the second in the world. Photovoltaic panels with a power output of 840 kW have been installed on the roofs, along with translucent skylights and exhaust fans, as well as smart lighting in the pathways. This achievement highlights the commitment of Madrid City Council and Los Cantiles joint venture to energy efficiency and sustainability.