Resource Efficiency Working Group

Asociación Sustentar, in its role as coordinator of the Resource Efficiency Working Group of the LEDS LAC Platform, developed a knowledge product in collaboration with members of the GTER. This document represents a comprehensive effort to understand and analyze sustainability and circular economy practices in various fields, both industrial and social. It aims to examine in depth cases of innovative projects that have successfully incorporated resource efficiency into their operations, thus highlighting their commitment to responsible environmental management.

The Re-ciclo project in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil, seeks to promote social inclusion, improve working conditions and optimize recycling in the city through the delivery of electric tricycles and adaptation workshops. The purpose of this technical assistance was to prepare a manual for facilitators working with urban waste pickers in the adaptation of the project and a video tutorial on the maintenance and repair of tricycles for waste pickers.

In 2021, Argentina published the Green Productive Development Plan, focused on 4 axes: promoting a national industry for the green economy; fostering the transition to a circular economy; promoting sustainable production for greater competitiveness; and promoting the sustainable industrialization of natural resources associated with the development of national suppliers, integrating local actors. To strengthen the plan, it is necessary to consolidate the contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the national climate change strategy. This technical assistance sought to outline a "Pilot ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) measurement tool for SMEs" to measure and identify opportunities for improvement and promote sustainability strategies.

Waste management is a highly sensitive issue for Montevideo and is of strategic importance in Uruguay's work plans. The purpose of this technical assistance provided to the Departmental Municipality of Montevideo was to define metrics, indicators and potential lines of action to strengthen integrated waste management policies in the city of Montevideo.

Bolivia faces the challenges of improving its economic performance, reducing poverty, and reducing GHG emissions. This technical assistance provided to the Ministry of Productive Development and Plural Economy, formulated and developed the strategic components and action plan for the proposed National Green Business Policy (PNNV) of Bolivia, understanding that the transition to a new civilization model requires a multi-sectoral commitment for effective action.

DERES, a private non-profit organization that promotes Corporate Social Responsibility in Uruguay, together with the Ministry of Environment, launched a call for projects to strengthen local value-added proposals that use waste and recovered materials with a circular economy perspective. The present technical assistance facilitated workshops on: Circular Economy, flow analysis, redesign and valorization, and provided recommendations to contribute to the consolidation of local initiatives in their circular practices.

The Municipality of Tunuyán, located south of the City of Mendoza in Argentina, is in charge of both residential and commercial waste collection, which is carried out every day of the week door-to-door, manually and mechanically. For this reason, the Municipality requested technical assistance in order to achieve a Municipal Plan for the Integral Management of Organic Waste through the development of a roadmap for its implementation, which allows identifying the most appropriate management alternatives according to the particularities of the locality.

The Technical Assistance provided to the Private Sector Studies Commission for Sustainable Development (CESPEDES) of Mexico, aimed to assess the degree of implementation of the Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency concept in the private sector in Mexico. This was possible thanks to the adaptation of the Circular Economy tool developed by the Argentine Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEADS). Recommendations were also generated to promote circularity and Resource Efficiency.

The Technical Assistance provided to the Center for Corporate Social Responsibility Action in Guatemala (CentraRSE) aimed to assess the initial situation and identify cases of circularity in different economic sectors in Guatemala, through the replication of the circular economy tool developed by the Argentinean Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEADS). As a result, actions were taken to implement the tool and recommendations were derived to promote the transition to the Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency.

Within the framework of the Integrated Waste Management Law No. 19,829 passed in 2019, each municipality must develop its own local waste management plan. For this reason, technical support was provided to the Municipality of Salto in order to design a Roadmap composed of 7 associated programs, for the implementation of said law. More information on the context, challenges and programs associated with the roadmap can be found in the infographic and testimony.

The municipality of Villa La Angostura (VLA), in the province of Neuquén, is one of the main tourist destinations in the Argentine Patagonia, located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park.