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The Council of Ministers for Sustainability, chaired by the Minister of the Environment, Carolina Schmidt, approved the decree that sets the goals of collection and recovery of containers and packaging, one of the priority products established in the Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) law, which requires companies to take care of the waste they generate.
As reported by the Ministry of the Environment, the application of this instrument will allow a strong growth in recycling rates in Chile, by setting ambitious goals that companies must meet, and creating a definitive door-to-door collection system for recyclable packaging. . Furthermore, it is expected that it will promote the formalization of base recyclers, imposing an obligation to incorporate these workers.
With the approval of this decree, said Minister Schmidt, “we take a new step in the transformation of the country towards a circular economy, which will increase the recycling rate of packaging by five times.”
The goals will allow the country to go from the current 12.5% of recycling of household containers and packaging to 60% of these elements in the medium term, a figure that would be compared with that of developed countries.
The decree establishes specific goals for each material: Cardboard for liquids (60%), metal (55%), paper and cardboard (70%), plastics (45%) and glass (65%). For industrial waste, the obligation will achieve a recycling rate of 70%. These impositions must be fulfilled by the companies through a new body that will group them together, called the “management system”.
More infrastructure and door-to-door collection
To achieve these demanding goals, the decree establishes a definitive scheme for the household collection of recyclable waste (that is, door to door) so, over time, it will no longer be necessary to go to a clean point to leave these items.
“We have set very ambitious collection and recovery targets for containers that will allow us to get closer to the recycling rates of European countries,” said Minister Schmidt.
Initially, 10% of the country’s homes will have recyclable products withdrawn from their homes, however, gradual progress is planned to reach coverage of 80% of Chilean homes. That is to say, that 4 out of 5 households in the country have collection of recyclable containers at their doorstep.
This decree, in addition, will require municipalities to issue ordinances that require the delivery of recyclable packaging waste separated from the rest of their waste when they already have door-to-door collection.
In the short term, the obligation to install clean points or collection centers that guarantee access to these facilities in 75% of the communes of Chile is established. In this way, in four years 350 new clean points will be installed, which will be operated by the management system, with high quality standards.
Formalization of recyclers
The management system, which will operate these 350 new reception and storage facilities, must incorporate base recyclers in at least 50% of them.
In addition, in their plans, the management systems should include a training program for the waste pickers they work with. Also, they are obliged to be paid for the collection at the market price.
Less waste to landfills
In Chile, in 2018, 1.25 million packaging waste was produced at the household level, but 12.5% was recycled, which is not the equivalent of a Costanera Tower. However, when the most demanding goals are in place, the equivalent of 6 Torres Costanera will be recycled, they estimate from the MMA.
As a result of the implementation of this regulation, it is estimated that for the period 2022-2033, 7.7 million tons of container and packaging waste will be collected, that is, they can be recovered, preventing them from being deposited in a landfill or landfill. .
According to the general analysis of the economic and social impact of this measure, savings will be produced by replacement of inputs, reduction of emissions and savings in municipal management. Thus, the estimated net benefits would total about US $ 442 million.
To give companies time to establish management systems – the entities responsible for complying with the established provisions – the goals will gradually come into effect. For those who do not comply, fines of up to 10,000 UTA are established, close to US $ 7 million.
