Rural Recycling
Managing recyclable waste through community networks
The Aysén region of Chilean Patagonia attracts more visitors each year, boosting the tourism economy while facing the challenge of conserving its natural resources. The town of Villa Cerro Castillo, located along the Carretera Austral, is the last point connected by pavement from the regional capital and the domestic airport. This connection has made it an outstanding destination for tourism, hiking and climbing in spectacular reserves and national parks, as well as an attractive rural retreat for those seeking to get away from the cities.
The increase in tourists and new residents has generated a large-scale accumulation of waste: human waste on the roads, discarded recyclable materials, wasted organic waste and uncontrolled scattered garbage.
In collaboration with the Liceo Bicentenario Rural de Villa Cerro Castillo, we have designed and built the community's first recycling collection center, called "Clean Point".
To strengthen this mission, we have established a partnership with the Chilean non-profit foundation Kyklos, which manages educational programs on environmentalism and waste management, integrating them into school lessons and activities. In addition, with the support of the Municipality of Río Ibáñez, the recyclable materials collected are transported to a processing center in a nearby town.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG)
We contribute to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting sustainable practices through environmental education, recyclable waste management, and community participation, fostering a balance between economic development and resource conservation.
