Short answer: do you need a separate permit?
In Barcelona, construction rubble may only sit on the public street inside approved rubble sacks (sacs de runa) or metal skips that are properly labelled: the company name and phone number, its approval codes and an identifier showing that the municipal fee has been paid. That fee and the occupation licence are tied to the identification the supplier buys. I could not find a separate Oficina Virtual procedure for a homeowner to request a sack, so in practice doing it yourself means choosing an approved company, checking the labelling, placing the sack correctly and making sure it is collected on time.
The Ajuntament says responsibility for managing the waste lies with the company whose name is printed on the sack and with the holder of the works permit. If your renovation runs under a comunicat immediat or any other regime, that holder is you. Castelldefels works differently: the sack or skip is requested together with the works permit and is only allowed while authorised works are under way.
When this applies to you and when it does not
These rules cover any construction waste that ends up on the pavement or the road. The typical case is a flat renovation in the Eixample where old tiles and partition walls go down to the entrance in a sack. If the sack sits inside a fenced-off works area, the 24-hour limit does not apply, but it still needs proper labelling and the rubble still has to go to an authorised waste manager.
Only construction rubble goes in the sack. Furniture, appliances, old belongings and other junk are not allowed; Barcelona collects those separately. If the amount is small, say you removed a couple of rows of tiles yourself, you can skip the street sack altogether: the Punts Verds de zona, large recycling centres on the city's edge, accept rubble and private individuals can use them free of charge. Neighbourhood and mobile Punts Verds do not take rubble.
At a house in Castelldefels, as long as the rubble stays inside your plot you do not need a street sack at all. Once it moves onto the pavement, you need a sack arranged together with the works permit.
What to have ready
For Barcelona the list is short. Your works permit (comunicat or llicència), because a street sack has to belong to a specific job and you, as the permit holder, answer for the waste. An order with a company that supplies approved sacks or skips and takes them to an authorised waste manager. And that company's phone number, because if the sack is not collected on time, they are the first call.
Look at the sack before it is dropped off. It must show the company name and phone number, the approval codes and the identifier proving the fee is paid. A sack from a DIY store without that labelling cannot go on the street, however similar it looks.
In Castelldefels you choose the sack type when you file the comunicació prèvia for the works. The Ajuntament has its own sacks, or you can use your own. If you did not ask for one at the start and need it later, you can request it by emailing the Oficina d'Atenció al Ciutadà (e-oac@castelldefels.org) and quoting your works permit. The price is set in the municipal tax ordinances.
How to place the sack properly
Location. The sack should ideally go right in front of the works and must not block drivers' visibility. On a pavement you have to leave a pedestrian passage at least one metre wide. It cannot go on pedestrian crossings, in front of driveways (vados), in no-parking zones, on utility access covers or in tree pits, and it must not block surface water drainage.
Timing. A sack that is not inside a fenced works area has to be removed within 24 hours of being placed and taken to an authorised waste manager. That is why it makes sense to book collection for the specific demolition days instead of leaving a sack by the door all week.
Contents. Rubble only. If a neighbour dumps an old mattress in your sack, it becomes your problem and the company's, so fill it and have it ready for collection straight away.
If the company does not show up. Call them first. If they do not answer or do not carry out the collection, the Ajuntament asks you to report the incident on 900 226 226.
What happens if the rules are broken
If the responsible party does not do it, the Ajuntament removes the sack or skip itself and charges a fee. Tax ordinance 3.4, linked from the Ajuntament's tax ordinances page in 2026, sets 54.13 EUR per sack and 276.85 EUR per metal skip. Amounts are revised, so check the current version. On top of that, the breach can lead to a fine under the municipal ordinances.
If an inspector visits, the first thing they will ask for is the works permit. Keep a copy on site together with the sack company's contact details and the waste handover receipts, which you will also need when you close the works.
Common mistakes
Using an unlabelled sack. A DIY-store big bag is handy, but on the street without company identification and a paid fee it is an offence.
Leaving the sack by the door for days. The 24-hour rule applies to anything outside a fenced area. It is easier to fit demolition around the collection schedule.
Putting it where it is convenient rather than where it is allowed: in front of a driveway, on a crossing, or against the facade leaving half a metre for pedestrians. The one-metre passage is always required.
Mixing waste. Rubble, furniture and packaging go through different channels, and the company may refuse a mixed sack.
Forgetting the works permit. A sack on the street tells the whole block there are works going on. If the renovation has no comunicat, the questions will not be about the sack but about the works themselves.
Rules change, so check the Ajuntament's current pages before you start. If you would rather not deal with it, BCN YARD arranges rubble removal as part of the renovation.