Waste management and recycling in Argentina

Waste management and recycling efforts in Argentina are characterized by a mix of specialized training, logistical shifts, and localized repurposing projects.

In Bariloche, the Secretaría de Trabajo de Río Negro launched a 12-week training program to teach waste managers how to identify, separate, and treat materials like wood, plastic, glass, and cardboard. This initiative seeks to reduce the amount of debris sent to municipal landfills by connecting participants with actors in the circular economy.

In other regions, the landscape of recycling is shifting. In Tandil, changes at ‘Puntos Limpios’ have prompted discussions on waste policy after the cessation of the ‘Botellas de Amor’ project and the discontinuation of sachet acceptance. While plastic bottles remain part of the process, materials such as polystyrene currently lack clear commercial recovery paths. Meanwhile, in Berisso, researchers from the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional and Fundación UNIBON Argentina have developed a project to repurpose discarded hotel soap into new hygiene products for underserved communities.