Mexico City’s new waste management strategy will require trash separation starting Jan. 1

Mexico City’s latest effort to amended discarded absorption successful the superior is an ambitious trash separation strategy that aims to guarantee that by 2030, 50% of the estimated 8,600 tons of discarded generated regular successful the metropolis is recycled oregon reused alternatively of being sent to landfills oregon tossed successful streets and bare lots.

To execute that goal, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada has presented the campaign: “Transform your city, each portion of trash successful its place.” Beginning January 1, 2026, homes, schools, offices and businesses volition beryllium required to abstracted their trash into 3 categories: integrated waste, recyclable inorganic discarded and non-recyclable inorganic waste.

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada, shown present with immoderate members of the precocious created Integrated Waste Management Agency (AGIR) connected the time of their swearing in, understands that the occurrence of the program depends connected the bully religion information of the populace. (Clara Brugada/Facebook)

In a ceremonial that installed the governing assemblage of the caller Integrated Waste Management Agency (AGIR) — officially created successful November 2024 — Brugada noted that lone 15% of the city’s garbage is decently separated today. 

“Every portion of discarded we propulsion distant has a nonstop interaction connected the air, h2o and land,” she said. “Therefore, we judge that with bully organization, consciousness and determination, we tin alteration this situation into a large accidental to physique a cleaner, much equitable and sustainable city.” 

The program’s archetypal concern volition beryllium 400 cardinal pesos (US $21.5 million)  250 cardinal of which volition spell to the acquisition of caller discarded postulation trucks, and the remainder to amended the Bordo Poniente recycling works and to physique caller plants passim the city.

For the remainder of the year, Brugada’s authorities volition coordinate an acquisition run to thatch residents however to abstracted their waste.

Brugada said that erstwhile this programme kicks in, garbage postulation volition beryllium carried retired connected a regular basis, arsenic follows:

• Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: integrated discarded (food scraps, plot scraps, etc.)
• Monday and Wednesday: recyclable inorganic discarded (paper, cardboard, glass, PET, aluminum, metals, etc.)
• Friday and Sunday: non-recyclable inorganic waste, specified arsenic sanitary waste, diapers and cigaret butts.

This isn’t the archetypal clip the superior has sought to signifier its discarded management, arsenic garbage separation is simply a long-standing biology goal.

In 2003, the section authorities approved the Solid Waste Law of the Federal District, which established the work to abstracted discarded into 2 basal categories: integrated and inorganic. However, the deficiency of postulation infrastructure and anemic acquisition campaigns prevented effectual implementation of the law.

With reports from El Universal, Lopez Dóriga, Chilango and TV Azteca