Badia del Vallès is taking a decisive step towards becoming Europe’s first completely asbestos-free city. This involves advancing what is described as the continent’s largest-ever contract for asbestos abatement. The City Council’s procurement board has proposed awarding the first major phase of the project, which will see the hazardous material removed from 127 residential buildings.
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This ambitious initiative marks the beginning of the end for a material that defined the city’s origins. Badia del Vallès, located just outside Barcelona, was largely constructed in the 1970s. It provided a solution to urgent housing needs, often using asbestos-containing materials for speed and cost-effectiveness. Today, that legacy represents a significant public health challenge for the municipality’s residents; the council is now tackling this problem head-on.
The widespread presence of asbestos, a known carcinogen, has long concerned the community. This removal project forms a critical part of a broader push to improve living standards and public health, an issue resonating across the region. A recent public health petition in Catalonia provides evidence of this widespread concern. Furthermore, the buildings in question are central to the city’s social fabric, with recent regional legislation impacting public housing policies in Badia.
Spanish Firms to Lead Landmark Project
Following a public tender, the council evaluated bids from four Spanish firms. Despite the contract being open continent-wide, no foreign companies participated, according to a report by Metrópoli Abierta. To manage the operation’s scale, the work was divided into three lots.
The procurement board has proposed awarding the first two lots to a temporary consortium (UTE) formed by Vilà Vilà and Urbà Complet, who achieved the highest technical and economic scores. Subsequently, the third lot is set to be awarded to a partnership between AGD and Magma. They presented the most competitive proposal for that specific package of work.
The initial phase of the project is valued at approximately €2.95 million. The Agència de Residus de Catalunya (Catalan Waste Agency) fully finances this, as part of a €4.4 million fund injected by the Generalitat de Catalunya to eliminate asbestos from all of Badia’s apartment blocks.
High-Tech Removal to Minimise Disruption
The removal process will involve a highly complex technical deployment to ensure the safety of residents and workers. For the first two lots, Vilà Vilà and Urbà Complet will focus on removing asbestos from galleries and pipes. They will achieve this by erecting scaffolding and implementing a strict static confinement system.
This method uses powerful depressurising units equipped with HEPA filters to constantly renew the air and prevent any carcinogenic fibres from escaping into the environment. The council stresses that this technology will ensure minimal disruption for residents. Access to homes will not be affected; the only restriction will be a temporary requirement to keep windows closed during the works.
For the third lot, AGD and Magma will employ rope access techniques, often referred to as vertical works, to remove fibrocement pipes from the buildings.
Catalonia’s Wider War on Asbestos
Badia’s project aligns with a broader, determined effort across Catalonia and Europe to eradicate asbestos. Last year, the Catalan government approved a “pioneering” bill to remove all asbestos from the region. This bill includes a census of asbestos locations and outlines potential fines for non-compliance.
This mirrors stricter regulations at the European level. The EU, which banned the use of asbestos in 2005, recently updated its guidelines. These new guidelines strengthen protections for workers exposed to the material. Member states must incorporate these new, lower exposure limits into national law by the end of 2025.
With the award proposal now on the table, the administrative process is in its final stages. The selected companies must submit their final documentation. Once reviewed, the proposal will go to the Local Government Board for definitive approval, allowing work to finally begin on the ground. This sets a precedent for cities across Europe.
