The province of San Luis consolidates its commitment to recycling through the four Treatment and Recycling Plants for Urban Solid Waste (RSU) strategically distributed throughout the territory.
Every day, these facilities receive hundreds of tons of waste from different municipalities, which are sorted by origin, processed, and reintegrated into the industrial circuit.
In this context, the plant “La Metropolitana”, located in Donovan, achieved a new goal by recovering 40 tons of recyclable materials. They were packaged into bales and sent back to the productive sector. This action is key to reduce open-air landfills, preserve natural resources, and strengthen the circular economy model.
An integrated process of waste recovery and valorization
As reported by the plant manager, Diego Galeano, the last shipment included:
- 11,200 kilograms of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET):
- Green PET: 1,500 kg
- Blue PET: 1,700 kg
- Clear PET: 8,000 kg
- 25,000 kilograms of cardboard
- 3,800 kilograms of Tetra Pak packaging
The materials were collected, sorted, and baled to be reused as raw materials in new industrial chains. This reduces the dependence on virgin inputs and decreases the environmental footprint.
Manual sorting, effective recovery
The process begins when waste arrives at the plant and is deposited in a hopper. They are then moved to a conveyor belt, where specialized operators manually separate each type of material: cardboard, clear PET, colored PET, scrap metal, aluminum, Tetra Pak, glass, and polypropylene.
The most recovered materials include cardboard, glass, and clear PET. This demonstrates the potential of RSU to become useful inputs if managed correctly.
Commitment to recycling: a political decision with environmental and social impact
The recovery model implemented in San Luis:
- Reduces visual and sanitary pollution by avoiding the proliferation of dumps.
- Decreases the exploitation of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Preserves ecosystems and promotes green employment, collaborating with communities, recyclers, and companies.
“The key is to keep resources within the economic circuit for as long as possible”, explained from the provincial program. Under this premise, San Luis is moving towards an intelligent and sustainable waste management, where each discarded object can be transformed into economic and environmental value.
