en.Wedoany.com Reported - Progress has been made on the first organic waste recycling plant project in Tocopilla, Chile, driven by the non-governmental organization Alquimia Chaga and funded by Minera El Abra's Environmental and Heritage Fund. This initiative represents a strategic milestone in environmental management for the region, focusing on circular education and reducing municipal waste.

Located on an 8,500-square-meter plot in the Barriles district, 20 kilometers north of Tocopilla, the project has completed its perimeter fencing. Ancillary works and infrastructure construction are prerequisites for obtaining the necessary sanitary permits and authorizing plant operations.

Juan Pablo Brito, legal representative of Alquimia Chaga, stated that the project aims to establish a certified model and collaborate with educational, public, and private organizations to promote a circular economy. This direction integrates multiple local stakeholders around the valorization of organic waste.

At the inauguration ceremony, students from the Escuela República de Estados Unidos symbolically participated in the first treatment of organic residues. Rodrigo Varas, head of the school's Forjadores Ambientales program, noted that the school has been addressing environmental and recycling issues for years but always lacked a closed-loop component. Now, students will see waste gain new uses without becoming trash.

In addition to infrastructure, the initiative includes providing recycling cages to coastal fishing villages and containers to educational institutions. The project incorporates environmental education activities aimed at strengthening responsible behavior habits in the Tocopilla community.

This initiative by Minera El Abra responds to regional sustainability commitments, aligning with the needs of mining areas in waste management and decarbonization. The project connects public infrastructure, environmental education, and circular value chains in a region historically dominated by copper mining.