In 2005, UNESCO declared May 17 as World Recycling Day as a way to remind us all of the importance of recycling our waste, reducing the amount of waste we generate, and reusing things and materials as much as possible.

But although the date has been on our collective calendar for almost 2 decades, we haven’t truly adopted recycling as a society. Low recycling levels all over the world tell us that this practice is not yet part of our global culture. In Latin America, as in many other countries, dozens of public and private organizations work daily to change this, and to make recycling accessible to everyone.

Recycling and empowerment in Chile

UPASOL is an organization that has been active in the Coquimbo region, in Chile, since 1998. They stand out because they’ve been able to help empower people with physical or developmental disabilities through micro entrepreneurship projects, with their waste management program the most successful amongst them.

UPASOL collects, stores, processes and commercializes domestic solid waste. They not only generate employment for people with disabilities, since many beneficiaries of their programs also work in the business, but they also use the proceeds to finance their rehab and reinsertion programs.

Aside from turning waste into a source of income, UPASOL also helps educate the local population, expanding environmental knowledge and awareness in a country where only 9% of waste is recycled.

Recycling technology

Nowadays there seems to be an app for everything. In Quito, Ecuador, this logic led to the development of an app that connects citizens with local recyclers, and also offers useful recycling tips. Moreover, the app helps keep a record of the invaluable work these mostly informal workers are doing.

‘ReciApp’ is part of Ecuadorian start-up ReciVeci, which works to promote efficient waste management in Ecuador, as well as to connect the different members of the recycling chain and train recycling workers in safe practices that mitigate potential environmental and health risks.

In Bolivia, a similar idea developed into the ‘Yo Reciclo’ app, which anyone, whether private citizen, business or institution, can use to have their recycling picked up at their door. The goal is to boost recycling by making sure waste is managed by certified operators, so it doesn’t end up in landfills. Just like in Ecuador, this initiative also helps improve labor conditions for informal recycling workers.