The management of plastic waste: an opportunity to raise awareness and value garbage

Abstract

The contamination by plastics has become a worldwide problem, mainly due to the poor management of urban solid waste. In Venezuela according to INE (2013) only 2.28% of waste is recycled, so companies that reuse waste, transforming it in new products are increasingly important. Industria Santos Duque a manufacturer of hoses and pipes using plastic waste from the city garbage as raw material, is one of them. The implementation of the ISD Recycling Plan demonstrates the importance of environmental education and the selective separation of waste for reuse and recycling. In 2018, 29.389.5 kg were collected and in 2019 (until June) 8.391 kg: 37.780.5 kg of plastic waste that was recovered as raw material, returning them to a new life cycle. Likewise, they were able to incorporate new points of selective collection of plastic waste: 21 companies or organizations were linked to the ISD recycling plan in 2018 and in 2019 more 19 companies or organizations took responsibility for taking care of their waste plastics The recycling plan of Industria Santos Duque has shown that if plastic is handled properly, it is a valuable resource. The application of the principles of the circular economy model to the design and production of it, consider plastic waste not as a garbage but as a raw material for the production of new plastic products, reintegrating it into a new life cycle. It makes our waste considerably reduced and does not end up poorly disposed in landfills and rivers.
Keywords: Management, Waste, Garbage, Recycling, Plastics.