The Plenary of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa has approved this Thursday the change of name of what was until now known as the Zonzamas Environmental Complex, which will now be called the Insular Environmental Waste Complex.
The name change fundamentally responds to the need to differentiate this infrastructure from the archaeological site of Zonzamas, located in the same area, thus avoiding possible confusion between the two spaces. At the same time, the new name more precisely identifies the nature, function, and territorial scope of facilities that constitute the main center for the treatment of waste generated in Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
The Councilor for Waste of the Cabildo, Domingo Cejas, has valued the unanimous support of the Corporation for this agreement and has pointed out that "with this new name, we provide an essential infrastructure for our islands with a name that reflects its true dimension and the service it provides to the whole of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, while avoiding confusion with a space of our archaeological heritage such as the Zonzamas site".
For his part, Óscar Noda, councilor of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, congratulates himself on the definitive completion of the name change of the old Zonzamas Environmental Complex, which is now called the Lanzarote Environmental and Waste Complex. Noda inquired this month about the status of the file and recalls that its origin lies in the motion he presented on May 2, 2025, approved unanimously in the plenary session of May 6.
Noda thus responds to Councilor Domingo Cejas and points out that the completion of the file "is not due to his initiative, but to the motion we presented and the reminder I made this month through a question in the Cabildo". The proposal sought to remove the name Zonzamas from the waste facilities to reserve it for the archaeological site, an essential enclave for understanding the history of Lanzarote and its first inhabitants.
"Finally, our history, our heritage, and our idiosyncrasy as an island are being honored. I am glad that this file has been completed and that Zonzamas will be linked to the historical site that bears that name. It was a matter of respect for our past and recognition of a fundamental place for the identity of Lanzarote," states Noda.
Cejas also highlighted the transformation experienced by these facilities over the last few decades. "The complex has evolved considerably since its origins, incorporating new infrastructures and treatment processes to respond to waste management needs and environmental requirements. Its new name reflects that reality and its insular character," stated the counselor.
The proposal for the name change was previously studied in the Plenary Commission of the Waste Area, held on February 25, 2026, where it also received the unanimous support of its members before being submitted to the Plenary for final approval.
From old landfill to Environmental Complex
The history of this infrastructure dates back to 1976, the year in which the Cabildo developed the project for the old landfill, conceived as a waste disposal facility for the island. Its purpose was to centralize the management of this waste and prevent the proliferation of uncontrolled landfills on the island.
Subsequently, in mid-2002, the commissioning of the sorting plant represented a significant transformation of the facilities, which went from being a landfill to becoming an Environmental Complex.
From that moment on, various infrastructures and treatment facilities were incorporated, in response to the growing waste management needs of Lanzarote and La Graciosa and the evolution of environmental regulations, especially regarding the hierarchy in waste management and compliance with established objectives.
Thus, among other improvements, the creation of a new composting plant, whose works began in 2026, stands out, which will allow the treatment of up to 4,375 tons of organic matter and plant waste annually, as well as investments for the modernization of infrastructures, roads, leachate and rainwater systems, treatment areas, and fire protection at Zonzamas.
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