The city of Santa Fe closed a new edition of the Eco Schools 2026 program with a record result in recycling and community participation. Through the initiative promoted by the Secretariat of Urban Management and Environment, 25 educational institutions managed to collect almost 58 tons of recyclable plastics, consolidating an environmental policy that grows year after year.
The figure achieved during this second edition far exceeded the records obtained in 2025, when about 17,000 kilograms had been recovered. In this way, the program tripled the volume of recycled materials and deepened the link between education, circular economy, and ecological awareness.
In addition to the environmental impact, the proposal allowed students, teachers, and families to get involved in concrete actions related to waste separation and the care of the urban environment.
Schools committed to recycling and the circular economy
After several weeks of work and weighing operations supervised by municipal staff, the final ranking placed Sagrado Corazón de Jesús School in first place, with 12,882.62 kilograms of plastic recovered.
The second place went to Sargento Cabral School, which collected 9,485.77 kilograms, while Don Bosco College completed the podium with 8,957.27 kilograms recycled.
During each day, traceability certificates were issued, and digital control systems were used to ensure transparency in the results. Additionally, the collected waste included bottles, containers, and drums that were previously clean and dry to facilitate their reuse.
The material will be transformed through an agreement with the company Quanta Recycling, which will turn these plastics into children’s playgrounds and urban furniture destined for parks and public spaces in Santa Fe.
Environmental education for new generations
The 2026 edition also deepened its pedagogical dimension through talks, workshops, and activities related to recycling and sustainability.
As a mandatory part of the program, all participating schools made visits to the Environmental Educational Center, where students could learn about waste recovery processes and urban environmental management strategies.
The proposal aims to strengthen responsible habits from early ages and promote a more conscious view of consumption and waste generation.
Furthermore, the direct contact with recycling experiences allows children and adolescents to understand the value of separating waste at the source and the positive impact these actions have on the environmental quality of cities.
How Eco Schools was born and its environmental and educational benefits
The Eco Schools program emerged as a municipal initiative aimed at integrating education and sustainability within the educational institutions of Santa Fe. The idea was born from the need to increase urban recycling levels and generate greater citizen participation in responsible waste management.
Over time, the proposal evolved into a collaborative work model between schools, companies, and public organizations, strengthening the circular economy and reducing the volume of waste ending up in landfills.
Among its main environmental benefits are the reduction of plastic pollution, the utilization of reusable materials, and the reduction of the impact on urban ecosystems and watercourses.
In the educational field, the initiative promotes values related to environmental responsibility, collective work, and community participation. Additionally, it allows students to see concrete results of their actions, as the recovered waste returns to the city transformed into useful infrastructure for the entire community.
