Puerto Montt launches sustainability and waste management initiatives

Authorities in Puerto Montt have launched a pilot waste management plan at Parque Costanera to promote sustainability and circular economy principles. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism, the Association of Municipalities of the Llanquihue Province, and local academic institutions.

A diagnostic phase conducted by students from the Instituto Politécnico María Auxiliadora revealed that approximately 77% of the waste generated in the park is potentially valorizable. This includes 33% glass, 25% organic matter, and 10% rigid plastics. The plan aims to implement a model based on prevention, reduction, source separation, and differentiated collection.

In a related academic effort, the School of Environmental Engineering at the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh) in Puerto Montt has announced ‘Impulso Austral: soluciones basadas en la naturaleza’. This competition invites high school students to present prototypes for environmental solutions, with a specific priority on projects promoting circular economy practices in southern Chile.