Fire erupts at toner recycling facility in Madrid suburbs
January 9, 2025
Emergency response contains blaze; recycling industry faces scrutiny.
“Smoke rises from the courtyard of the Core / w0w recycling facility in Mejorada del Campo, captured in a video shared by Jesús Alonso.”
An explosion occurred at a toner cartridge recycling warehouse in Parla, Madrid, on Wednesday, followed by a fire in stored materials on the outdoor premises. The facility, locally identified as Core / w0w (Waste Zero World), part of the 123inkt group, specializes in recycling imaging consumables. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, preventing major damage to the facility.
The explosion, which marked the start of the fire, was captured on video and has since been widely shared on social media platform X here and reported by local media here.
In a statement, Core / w0w confirmed the explosion occurred during the recycling process, with the exact cause still under investigation. The company credited its extensive safety measures, including venting valves, for directing the explosion outward, thereby minimizing damage to the interior of the plant. However, this outward venting led to a fire in outdoor stored materials, which was extinguished by emergency services.
“Thanks to our extensive safety measures and well-functioning safety systems, the explosion was directed outward, preventing significant damage inside. The safety and extraction systems ensured the situation was brought under control, preventing further harm,” the company stated.
All employees were evacuated from the site immediately. One employee sustained minor burns, was treated by medical personnel, and was able to return home safely. No other injuries were reported. Core / w0w emphasized that safety remains its top priority and noted that the involved authorities, including the fire brigade, police, and labor inspectorate, positively assessed the company’s preventive measures and classified the incident as an accident.
This is not the first disruption at the Parla facility. Previously, its shredding operations were temporarily halted due to technical issues. (Related story)
The incident adds to a history of safety challenges in the global recycling and imaging consumables industry. In March 2018, two workers were injured during an explosion at HP’s Corvallis, Oregon facility. (Read more) Similarly, in May 2018, an explosion at Close The Loop, an Australia-based toner cartridge recycling company, caused significant damage and operational disruption. (Details here) More recently, Konica Minolta addressed concerns after an explosion at one of its facilities, reaffirming its commitment to safety and operational integrity. (Read update)
While investigations into the exact cause of the incident in Parla continue, Core / w0w is evaluating steps to resume full operations and pledges to keep customers informed throughout the recovery process. The company reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the highest safety standards and remaining vigilant to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Note: This story was updated at 17:15 09.01.2025 on receipt of a response from Core / w0w (Waste Zero World) and again updated at 14:10 10.01.2025 on receipt of a further update.
Categories : World Focus
