Buenos Aires recycling cooperatives protest new waste management tender

Recycling cooperatives in Buenos Aires, including the Amanecer de los Cartoneros cooperative which manages the Centro Verde Saavedra, participated in a protest against new government tender specifications for urban hygiene and recyclable waste services.

The mobilization, organized by the Federación Argentina de Cartoneros, Carreros y Recicladores (FACCyR), targeted the new terms for the collection, transport, and processing of dry waste. Workers argue that the new requirements—such as specific vehicle fleet standards, economic guarantees, and minimum volumes—are designed for large corporations and will exclude the cooperatives that have managed the city's recycling system for two decades.

Participants warned that the new tender could jeopardize thousands of jobs and lead to environmental setbacks. The Amanecer cooperative emphasized that their management of the Saavedra facility provides formal employment and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills.