Recycling on the Riviera Maya - How are we doing?

[Michele]

A few days ago, I started to respond to a gentleman's comment on my blog about the current state of recycling in Playa del Carmen and how the idea is being received by the community. My reply sort of got away from me and became THIS. Let me know what you think.

[jamnkats]

Haven't checked your blog yet, but we have been recycling at Bodega Aurrera, City Club and Sam's. We just save it up at home until we head into town and we always pass one of the three and drop the stuff off there. We also have a large plastic recycling plant directly across the carretera from us.

[Michele]

Originally Posted by jamnkats

Haven't checked your blog yet, but we have been recycling at Bodega Aurrera, City Club and Sam's. We just save it up at home until we head into town and we always pass one of the three and drop the stuff off there. We also have a large plastic recycling plant directly across the carretera from us.

The drop-offs at the shopping centers and supermarkets are the "Clean Spots" that were established by the municipality in 2007 in response to pressure from the community. We occassionally use the bins at MEGA when they are not all full up.

I am surprised that Paamul does not have its own recycling center set up yet.

[jamnkats]

Originally Posted by Michele

The drop-offs at the shopping centers and supermarkets are the "Clean Spots" that were established by the municipality in 2007 in response to pressure from the community. We occassionally use the bins at MEGA when they are not all full up.

I am surprised that Paamul does not have its own recycling center set up yet.

Yeah, I've tried, but the office isn't all that interested. I've also talked to the plant but they need the office's permission before placing bins on the property. The plant engineer has also met with the restaurant owner and maybe those wheels will slowly turn. Hard to say.

[Michele]

Originally Posted by jamnkats

Yeah, I've tried, but the office isn't all that interested. I've also talked to the plant but they need the office's permission before placing bins on the property. The plant engineer has also met with the restaurant owner and maybe those wheels will slowly turn. Hard to say.

You might want to get in touch with Ana at Maremex. This is just the kind of thing they might be able to arrange for your community.

[rodman]

Given the lack of deep areas in the Roo to landfill garbage, what is done with it? Are there companies that take care of the recyclable materials, and cash in on them? Given the price for aluminum cans here, now, is there a venue down in the Roo for paying/using the cans? Is there a place that accepts the stuff that gets recycled in the states, ...and if so, is it in any way profitable?
I am of the opinion, and it is probably annoying to the "green people" .....there are plenty of landfills out there, they are either still being used as quarries, gravel pits, open pit coal mines, or the sites have not been opened up for quarrying, or coal mining......!!!!!!
Dig deeper......!

[Michele]

Originally Posted by rodman

Given the lack of deep areas in the Roo to landfill garbage, what is done with it? Are there companies that take care of the recyclable materials, and cash in on them? Given the price for aluminum cans here, now, is there a venue down in the Roo for paying/using the cans? Is there a place that accepts the stuff that gets recycled in the states, ...and if so, is it in any way profitable?
I am of the opinion, and it is probably annoying to the "green people" .....there are plenty of landfills out there, they are either still being used as quarries, gravel pits, open pit coal mines, or the sites have not been opened up for quarrying, or coal mining......!!!!!!
Dig deeper......!

We now have several recycling plants along the Riviera Maya. Selling aluminium cans and scrap metal has always been done on an individual basis. Some people also collect and sell glass bottles. Plastics are now recyclable but not for profit (which is why it happened last). Not everything that can be recycled in the US can be recycled here, yet. For example, not every kind of plastic can be processed here yet. PET which is the most common here, is recyclable. There are landfills/dumps in the area. One has been on a nightly burn for the past few months. My spidey sense tells me not to do any snooping around in that department, if you know what I mean.