Buenos Aires recyclers protest waste management privatization plans

Waste picker cooperatives and social groups marched through Buenos Aires to protest proposed changes to the city’s waste management and recycling system. Organized by the Federación Argentina de Cartoneros, Carreros y Recicladores (FACCyR), the demonstration targeted the administration of Jorge Macri regarding a new tender process for dry waste services.

Protesters argue the proposed overhaul seeks to privatize the recycling system, potentially displacing approximately 6,500 to 7,000 workers who have operated through 12 cooperatives for over two decades. The current model involves a combination of fixed government payments and income from selling collected materials. Critics claim the new tender, which includes requirements for GPS and telemetry tracking, violates local laws designed to grant urban recyclers exclusivity in processing recyclable materials.

Supporters of the current system note that the cooperative model has historically reduced accidents, provided social security through the 'monotributo' system, and lowered city costs by reducing the volume of waste sent to the CEAMSE landfill. The cooperatives warn that the transition to private firms could undermine the city’s socially inclusive recycling framework.