Talca inaugurates Chile's largest municipal composting plant

The municipality of Talca has inaugurated Chile’s largest municipal composting plant, located in the Huilliborgoa sector. The facility, which sits on 1.2 hectares near the El Retamo landfill, currently processes five tons of organic waste daily from urban pruning and the Macroferia, with a projected capacity to reach 20 tons per day within five years.

The project involved a $241 million investment funded by the Subsecretaría de Desarrollo Regional y Administrativo (SUBDERE), with additional machinery provided by the Maule Regional Government. The plant utilizes Goretex technology, provided through cooperation with the Government of Canada, to accelerate organic matter degradation and produce reusable compost for public green spaces and productive activities.

In conjunction with the opening, Environment Minister Francisca Toledo introduced ‘REgenera Chile’, a new National Circular Economy Agenda. This strategy aims to transform waste management through three pillars: harmonizing regulations like the Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) Law, implementing a National Circular Waste Infrastructure Plan to reduce landfill pressure, and strengthening the role of base recyclers.