RECYCLING UPDATE

Posted by Dave on February 25, 2009, 5:25 pm
189.162.32.25

The plastic bottle recycling program, a collaboration between Tierralegre AC and the Delegación of La Manzanilla, is still active. However, due to the following circumstances, it has been stalled: 1. The de facto space where we have traditionally stored the plastic until it could be picked up by a buyer has been lost due to new construction there. 2. We have no buyer at the moment. The current economic crisis is taking its toll on recycling programs globally due to the drastic drop in commodoties. However, we will not give up! I have been working hard as of late to try to reach a solution, and keep the program going. For one, I am currently enrolled in a post graduate course on Municipal Solid Waste Management at the Univ. of Guad.´s Center for the Sustainable Development of Coastal Zones in Melaque. There is a new environmental state law in Jalisco (NAE-007/2008) that requires all municipalities to separate their waste into organic, inorganic and sanitary items. This law will begin to be enforced in May 2009, right when the course ends. We are way ahead of the eight ball on compliance here in La Manzanilla thanks to the already-established plastic bottle recycling program. I have been in meetings recently with our Delegado, President of the Ejido, our Manager of Ecology and Maestro Rubén Figeroa, and have filed all the official paperwork with the Municipality of La Huerta requesting the authorization of an official recycling center in La Manzanilla, the location of which is to be donated by Rubén´s father. Finally, the Delegado has recently agreed to let us use a lot of his for the temporary storage of plastic bottles until we have an officially sanctioned recycling center location established. So we are busy getting his space ready and will soon be making the rounds to collect the plastic from the overflowing bins. We could always use help, especially now, so if you´re interested in helping, please get in touch with me. Thank you for your patience and support!

Be sure to visit www.lamanzanilla.info