Córdoba announced the closure of two open-air landfills. These are located in the towns of Altos de Chipión and La Paquita in the San Justo department.
The measure was carried out by the provincial government, through the Ministry of Environment and Circular Economy, in conjunction with local governments. This is a fundamental initiative for improving waste management.
According to reports, it required an investment of $19,460,570. It is part of a comprehensive strategy to eliminate these areas that have extremely harmful consequences for the environment and health.
Two open-air landfills closed in Córdoba
They are located in Altos de Chipión and La Paquita. (Photo: Government of Córdoba).
The Minister of Environment and Circular Economy, Victoria Flores, highlighted the importance of this action and the commitment of the involved municipalities. “With the closure of these landfills, we are starting a virtuous circle that sets in motion the entire circular economy model,” she said.
“These actions not only eliminate sources of pollution, but also drive a structural change in waste management, promoting environmental responsibility in each locality,” Flores added.
The landfill recovery process was carried out with essential machinery provided by the environmental department. This included a bulldozer, an excavator, a vacuum truck, among other materials.
The work progressed after the towns adopted practices of circular economy and began to dispose of waste safely at a regional plant.
Altos de Chipión and La Paquita advance in waste management
In the case of Altos de Chipión, the town has a system of separate collection and an Environmental Center, where recovered materials are processed and sold.
In addition, with the contribution of the Environmental Fund, managed by the Ministry of Government, they acquired a hydraulic press and a wood chipper for green waste.
These tools help reduce the volume of final waste disposal, improve working conditions for urban recyclers, and contribute to environmental sanitation.
On the other hand, in La Paquita, waste separation into two fractions is being implemented: cellulosic and plastics.
Both towns transfer their waste to the Regional Entity of Porteña, where they receive the corresponding processing and recycling.
The problems of open-air landfills.
This regional approach allows for optimizing resources and ensuring proper waste treatment, thereby reducing environmental impact.
Argentina has nearly 5000 open-air landfills: environmental and health impact
In Argentina, there are at least 5000 cases of open-air landfills. One-third of urban waste generated in Latin America and the Caribbean ends up in these spaces according to the United Nations.
And the consequences are devastating, both for the environment in general and for human health.
The decomposition process that waste undergoes when left stagnant in landfills leads to the emission of toxic gases. Thus, they generate 5% of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), responsible for global warming.
On the other hand, not having impermeable soil, they become a source of contamination, also due to the generation of leachate.
The danger of open-air landfills.
Leachate is produced when waste undergoes the decomposition process, and water (from rainfall, surface drainage, or groundwater) percolates through the decomposing solid waste.
This liquid contains dissolved and suspended materials that, if not properly controlled, can pass through the base floor and contaminate sources of drinking water or surface water.
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