In the recycling activity, two modalities or characteristics are reflected, one that is the posindustrial and that is carried out more formally where industries and shops transfer their material through recyclers to other industries that use it to transform it into goods or material for other uses.
Meanwhile, that there is also the post -consumptionthat discard homes, businesses or other common waste from industries, and where the traceability of the recycling chain with all its participants is difficult.
Of the total common waste and waste in Guatemala around 56% are organic materials, while the remaining 44% is composed of 14% of health waste; 13%, plastic; 6%, paper and cardboard; 3%, glass; 2% by hazardous or special waste; 2%, metal and 4% for various materials, according to data from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) of the 2021 and 2022.
However, only 4% of the total waste and solid wastes are recycled or becomes fertilizer, according to information derived from the population census of 2018 when referring to the forms of removal of waste.
Other numbers, which according to experts reflect alarm, are that 43% of household waste burns, 4% are buried, 3% are thrown anywhere, and 1% are thrown into rivers, streams or sea .
While another 42% is collected either by formal or informal extraction municipalities or services. Within this figure, material that is recycled that is called post -consumption recycling also comes out.
Knowledgeable in the sector report that about 50% of what is collected is non -useful organic material for recycling, while the remaining 50% where certain materials for recycling come out.
The recycling industry
Asked about the recycling industry in the country, Raúl Bouscayrol, the president of the Guatemala Chamber of Industry (CIG) said that in this organization they identified around 20 formally registered companies operating in the recycling sector, which cover materials such as plastics, glass, ferrous metals, and others.
He said that “the recycling sector has experienced sustained growth both in its formal and informal dimension,” But that at the national level, waste management remains limited with a low percentage of proper elimination and treatment.
The manager explains that At present, only about 6% of waste is recycled efficiently in the country, But that in the business field, this percentage is significantly higher, derived from recycling activities and responsible waste management.
“In CIG, we have multiple sectors that have made significant investments in this area, especially in the recycling of PET plastics. Companies dedicated to paper collection, cardboard, pet, ferrous and non -ferrous scrap, glass, plastics and batteries have developed well -established structures to guarantee an adequate disposition of these materials, with clearly defined market prices, ”he said without mentioning quantities.
The president of the CIG explained that in parallel, The informal economy plays an important role in recycling, especially in the final disposal sites, where waste is widely classified and subsequently incorporated into the private sector for use.
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The industrial manager said that No data on monetary terms of recycling activity, And in the expansion of the recycling sector in recent years, it has been minimal, with a 2%increase.
“This is due to limited infrastructure and the lack of efficient systems for the collection and recycling of waste in Guatemala, which restricts full use of their recycling capacity,” he added to comment that according to the population census of 2018, Only 42% of households in the country have access to the garbage collection service, which reflects that a considerable part of the waste does not receive adequate management.
In the last decade, the interest of the private sector for recycling and waste management in Guatemala has grown considerably, with an increase in investments for the collection and processing of various recyclable materials, as well as in the implementation of technologies to improve efficiency Of the processes, he added.
When referring to sectors, he mentioned that the plastics is the one that has advanced the most in its recycling chain nationwide.
According to data cited by AGEXPORT, the recycling sector represents around 26 thousand direct and indirect jobs.
Plastic sector
Only from the landfill of the 3rd capital zone about 400 tons of plastic per day are collected, while south of the capital and metropolitan area are obtained especially waste materials generated of the country, according to data from the year 2019 of the so -called Association of Plasticizers and Recyclers of Guatemala (Asopregua).
This entity estimated at that time that the production of recycled products per year reached Q1 thousand 848 million, such as garbage bags, polycduct pipe, guacales and bathrooms of all sizes, some toys, inflatable balls, piggy banks, in addition to the so -called so -called Plastic, to make furniture, desks, fences and blocks.
Meanwhile, the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT) indicated that in 2024 the exports of the plastics sector reached US $ 547 million, which includes transformation of plastics. He adds that the national plastics sector is dominated by the support of three institutions such as the Guatemalan Association and Commission of Plastics, AGEXPORT PLASTICS COMMISSION, and the CIG plastics union.
In 2024, Commission companies allocated a significant investment in sustainable initiatives, with which the recovery of plastics and their transformation into recycled resins, guaranteeing an extended life cycle for materials, was prioritized. In addition, advanced technology was integrated to convert bottles of recycled plastic into recyclable resins that can be used to manufacture new packaging and containers, expanding the possibilities of responsible reuse in key sectors, AGEXPORT added.
Regarding other materials, during 2024, Guatemala managed to export steel and aluminum products for a total value of US $ 21.3 million, and the main products include waste and aluminum waste and waste and its manufactures for US $ 9.9 million, He cited the Ministry of Economy in mid -February when responding on the issue of tariffs announced by the United States.
Glass
Grupo Vical indicated that Central America reached a new historical record in 2024 in glass recycling with a total of 129 thousand 950 metric tons. Of this figure, 55 thousand 847 metric tons were recycled in Guatemala, which maintains its position as the country that contributes the most to the total glass recovered in the region with 43%.
“This achievement is the result of the collaboration and commitment of the glass industry, collectors, collection centers and community,” the company said.
Glass recycling is an extraordinarily efficient process, since it allows to take advantage of the entire recovered material and incorporate it up to 100% to the new glass formula. This allows the glass industry a true bottle recycling and infinitely
That post -consumption glass, recovered as glass pieces and known as Cullet, comes from landfills in the country, Collectors and collection centers, hotels, restaurants, condominiums, in addition to the bottling glass, which carry out their own collection. The collected glass is received in the plants of the Vical Group both in Costa Rica and in Guatemala where through a simple foundry process they become new glass bottles.
In the post -consumption
In the recycling derived from post -consumption, the traceability lines of the materials are more diffuse or difficult to detect because it is where it is most operated in the informal field, according to sources from several sectors.
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The waste is carried by the collection by means of transportation to the poulings. In the trucks a part is classified and the staff of each unit sells it to recyclers that are located near the landfills. While another part of the waste enters that enclosure and is classified by base collectors, who are commonly known as guajeros for whom this work has become the income for their family livelihood and They work informally since they are not hired or by the pours not by recycling.
Another problem according to sources consulted is that many recycling businesses work in informality, even that is why it is difficult to have statistics from the sector, and that it is As the recycling chain that is formalized since large buyers ask for support documents.
Collectors, actors in the recycling chain
Consulted Miguel Carrera, president of the Guatemalan solid waste collection union (Gredesolgua), he estimates that the workers of each truck are classified from the recyclable who sell it to recyclers near the landfills, and the payment is becomes for the income of these workers. He explains that their workers are paid the minimum wage plus all benefits, and the money for the sale of the recyclable is not transferred to the carrier, but that they are divided among the collection of each truck as an extra income.
Payment for those waste to each truck comes to represent some Q500 per day.
Carrera explains that classifying waste is not a new work because it has been done since he started working in the sector more than 40 years ago.
In addition, he mentions that recycling businesses that buy the landfills must be formal, because their buyers ask them for the stationery to continue selling it to other actors in the chain.
On the other hand, Celeste Soto, directive of the Association of Collection, explains that they are base collectors who have permission to enter the dizziness, in this case AMSA, but to be able to search and classify recyclable material, but that they are not hired by any entity, but are individual workers.
The landfill in kilometer 22.5 solid waste from 32 municipalities arrives at kilometer.
On a work day, although they are going to have Q65 or Q70 of income after their day when selling the collected material.
Comment how who you buy the materials to recycle:
According to Soto, in that landfill there are four recycling companies that buy material and payments vary:
- For the plastic they are paid Q50, that is Q0.50 per pound.
- Nylón, Q0.40 by Libra,
- Hard plastic, to Q0.40 by Libra
- Paper, Q0.35 or Q0.40 per pound
- Glass, Q0.20 The Libra
- Metals, or scrap Q0.25 La Libra or Q25 quintal
- Drinking cans Q3 quetzales la pound
- Cans (such as beans or sardines do not accept them)
However, they are concerned since with the Regulation for the Integral Management of Common Solid Waste and Waste, Agreement 164-2021, they would be practically removed from the work represented by family support, so they ask the Government to take them in Account and look for solutions for these thousands of people.
Even a solution is to boost a recycling plant where collectors can participate, he concluded.