Carla Ortega has spent more than four years collecting the plastic bottles that her family buys to later deliver them to a grassroots recycler who passes through her neighborhood, in the south of Guayaquil. She comments that this was established at the request of her children and that it has already become a habit.
“They told me that this way we dirty the planet less and help recyclers,” he says. Carla’s home is part of the 64% of Ecuadorian families that classified some type of waste in 2022, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). This percentage increased almost three percentage points compared to 2019 when 61.5% of households sorted some type of waste.
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Plastic continues to be the waste that is most classified and recycled in the country. Although the percentage of households that separates it decreased in 2022 to 44.9%. In 2019 the figure was 46%. AIn addition, 82.8% of households used disposable plastic bags when making their purchases, nationwide, last year. This represents a considerable increase if figures from 2019 (73.9%) and 2018 (74.4%) are compared.
Meanwhile, the separation of organic waste stood out last year. 39.8% of Ecuadorian households collected them, which reflects an increase of seven points compared to 2019 when the figure reached 32%.
Paper and cardboard close the podium of the most classified waste by Ecuadorians. Although the percentage of households that collected them decreased to 31.3% when in 2019 it reached 32%.
The INEC study also details that Ecuadorian households have little habit of separating waste considered dangerous, such as batteries or saving light bulbs. The vast majority disposes of it with the common garbage.
In addition, electrical and electronic devices are usually stored after they have completed their useful life and when buying them, energy-saving systems are not preferred, but only chosen by price and brand.
Foam from refrigerators, rigid plastics, electronic devices and other hazardous waste generated in the Galapagos were transferred to Guayaquil for proper final disposal.
Another parameter detailed in the study is that the level of household participation in at least one environmental activity was barely 9.2%. However, 54.6% of households consider that protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility.
This shows that nature protection in the country remains passive. For example, more than 1.7 million Ecuadorians are active through social networks and the internet to raise awareness from the different environmental petitions that are created on Change.org, a platform for collecting signatures.
Ernesto Samaniego points out that he digitally signed at least five environmental petitions on this platform in 2022. Although he declares himself an environmentalist, he accepts that he does not usually physically participate in events such as waste collection or tree planting: “Because of work, I don’t have time, but I always support these causes”.
Meanwhile, Silvia Martínez did actively participate in events in favor of nature last year, although she does not belong to any particular organization. She indicates that waste is also classified in her house and not just plastic.
“We know bottles are collected for the money their recycling generates, but the amount of single-use plastic sleeves thrown away on a daily basis is staggering. At least from my house we try to contribute something using fabric, ”she says.
Cloth bags were used by only 15.9% of Ecuadorian households during 2022, according to INEC. The main habit of saving electricity was to avoid putting hot food in the refrigerator (97.0% of households did so). In addition, the main pro-environmental action in homes is to turn off the tap while soaping the dishes, brushing their teeth or taking a bath (94.4%). (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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