Bogotá promotes organic waste separation to reduce landfill impact

The Bogotá District Secretary of Environment (SDA) has launched a series of recommendations to encourage the separation of organic waste in households across the capital. This initiative follows reports from the Special Administrative Unit of Public Services (UAESP) indicating that the Doña Juana landfill received 6,769 tons of garbage daily during the first quarter of 2026. According to Greenpeace, food scraps and garden waste account for approximately 65% of the waste buried at the site.

To mitigate environmental impact, the district is promoting home composting, community management, and the use of 'pacas digestoras' (digester bales) to create enriched fertilizer. Additionally, the Institute for Social Economy (IPES) is managing an organic waste selective route across 15 markets and five commercial points, processing over 71,000 kilograms of vegetable remains monthly.

The government's ReGenera initiative, which focuses on the gastronomic sector, has processed 8,417 tons of organic waste into fertilizer since February 2024. This program has reportedly prevented the emission of 2,550 tons of CO2 equivalent, a figure comparable to the annual impact of 550 private vehicles.