# Waste management and recycling developments in Argentina > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/municipal-waste-management-in-argentina-and-chile > Updated: 2026-08-31T03:55:14.000Z. Sources: 42. Developments: 5. Municipalities in Argentina and Chile continue to implement diverse waste management and urban cleaning initiatives. In Argentina, Bariloche del Este’s El Cóndor delegation has deployed heavy machinery to remove waste, while Formosa’s environmental unit conducted large-scale scrap metal collections. In Mar del Plata, the ‘Punto Verde Móvil’ program offers tree saplings in exchange for recyclables, and Escobar has established specific schedules for pruning debris collection. Infrastructure and service tenders are expanding across several regions. Concordia is investing 20 billion pesos in development, including a new urban solid waste collection service that received six bids. Other regional projects include sewage expansion in Elortondo and water treatment refurbishments in San Carlos. Tensions regarding the privatization of waste services in Buenos Aires have intensified. Waste picker cooperatives, organized by the Federación Argentina de Cartoneros, Carreros y Recicladores (FACCyR), have marched to protest a new tender process under the administration of Jorge Macri. Protesters argue the move could displace between 6,500 and 7,000 workers and violates laws granting recyclers exclusivity. Academic experts from the University of Buenos Aires (FAUBA) have also raised concerns, warning that the proposed scheme could undermine the city’s socially inclusive circular economy. Building on these tensions, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires has initiated preparations for a new 10-year public tender to manage urban hygiene and waste collection. The administration aims to reorganize services into four large clusters covering collection, sweeping, cleaning, and recycling center operations. A public hearing is scheduled for October 5, 2026, to discuss technical specifications. While current contracts are extended until September 2028, the new tender allows current concessionaires to compete despite previous sanctions, fueling further concerns regarding the stability of recycling cooperatives. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-31: Buenos Aires prepares 10-year waste management tender Buenos Aires is preparing a 10-year tender for urban hygiene services, reorganizing waste collection and recycling. A public hearing is set for October 2026 to discuss the new operational model. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/buenos-aires-recycling-cooperatives-face-risk-under-new-waste-contracts ### 2026-08-20: Buenos Aires recyclers protest waste management privatization plans Buenos Aires waste picker cooperatives are protesting a new government tender that they claim will privatize recycling and displace thousands of workers currently operating under a cooperative model. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/buenos-aires-recyclers-protest-waste-management-privatization-plans ### 2026-08-11: Argentine municipalities launch multiple infrastructure and service tenders Municipalities in Argentina are initiating significant infrastructure projects, including paving, water treatment upgrades, and waste collection services, through various public tenders. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/argentine-municipalities-launch-public-tenders-for-infrastructure-and-waste-services ### 2026-08-10: Municipalities in Argentina announce waste management schedules Argentine municipalities in Mar del Plata and Escobar have announced schedules for recycling mobile units and branch collection services to improve urban waste management. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/municipalities-in-argentina-announce-waste-management-schedules ### 2026-08-05: Municipal clean‑up drives roll out in Argentine cities and Talca Municipal clean‑up and waste‑management actions intensify in Argentine cities and Talca, Chile, including large waste removals, a recycling program earning 25 M ARS, stricter Buenos Aires waste controls, and a 23 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bariloche-municipality-expands-cleanup-in-bariloche-del-este --- Cite as: Waste management and recycling developments in Argentina. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/municipal-waste-management-in-argentina-and-chile