Recicladora de la Ribera de Chapala (RRC), the privately operated plastic recycling outfit located in Riberas del Pilar, has been forced to close its doors due to financial concerns and practical hurdles in a community that has not fully adopted the concepts of waste separation and reuse.
According to co-owner Francisco González, after nearly a full year in business the enterprise has not generated sufficient income to cover day-to-day operating overhead, recuperate the initial capital investment and turn a profit. But his experience at RCC leads him to believe that the environment-friendly venture has potential for success under a non-profit structure.
He cited steep rental fees for the conveniently located warehouse as RCC’s major economic stumbling block. Efforts to negotiate a lower price or find a more affordable location have not panned out. And promising plans to boost income by expanding plastic retrieval to Jocotepec became stalled by bureaucratic red tape.
Gonzalez notes that the lakeside area is virtually awash in recyclable rubbish and that local governments are under increasing pressure to implement viable waste management strategies. Meanwhile, Mexico’s market for reusable raw materials is growing steadily. Those factors buoy his expectations for a revival of RCC under a different business model. Parties interested in exploring the subject are welcome to contact Gonzalez at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Garbagemen employed by Chapala’s sanitation department have taken a hit by the closure of the recycling center where they pocketed an average of 200 to 400 pesos for every load of dropped-off plastics. The men report they are still separating plastics, aluminum and cardboard during their daily rounds, but now gain a much lower rate at the nearest collection facility in Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos.