In the last year, the Ministry of Public Space and Urban Hygiene of the City of Buenos Aires received four distinction awards thanks to the waste collection and recycling policy that it develops in the City. It won the Green Latin America Award and the Argentine-British Chamber of Commerce Award for Sustainable Leadership; it obtained the Triple Impact Certification and was selected as a “Supporter” in the Waste Wise Cities Program. The Recycling Center, containerization, assistance and guidance to other cities, and the exchange of best practices in the context of a pandemic, were the actions that led the Ministry to win the awards.
1) Green Latin America Award
Latin America Green Awards is the most extensive socio-environmental showcase in the region, one of the most important sustainability festivals in the world that selects the best initiatives that have a direct impact on the present and future of the planet's agenda. It fulfills the role of uniting, strengthening, making visible and connecting all those projects that from their place show that #CambiarEsPosible. (“Changing is possible”).
The Ministry of Public Space and Urban Hygiene of the City of Buenos Aires was recognized as the winner of the 2020 edition of the Latin America Green Awards for its project of the City Recycling Center (CRC) within the category “Solid waste management”. Located in Villa Soldati, the CRC was created with the objective of treating the different waste generated in the City that was going to the landfill.
2) CCAB Award for Sustainable Leadership
The Award publicly recognizes those people, companies, governments, NGOs and institutions that make a valuable contribution to the communities in which they work, always within the Argentine Republic.
The participating projects must be framed within the definition of "Sustainable Development" established by the United Nations. It refers to "the capacity created by the human system to meet the needs of current generations without compromising resources and opportunities for the growth and development of future generations."
The Ministry of Public Space and Urban Hygiene was presented within the Large Companies-Public Sector and Mixed Projects group. The project consists of the waste management system of the City of Buenos Aires that incorporates various measures to reduce the generation of waste, transform it into resources and also promote the importance of citizen participation. Among these measures is the 100% containerized collection system, with differentiation of waste and with various strategies for the processing and recovery of waste.
3) Waste Wise Cities program
The Waste Wise Cities program generates exchanges on issues related to regional and global waste management.
The program encourages all cities in the world to manage their resources intelligently and effectively, through the so-called 5Rs: rethink, reject, reduce, reuse and recycle.
The city of Buenos Aires was selected as a City Supporter of Lima, that is, it will help and guide it in the matter of waste management, taking into account different aspects such as: understanding the realities of each city, strategies and plans designed, examination of possible measures for improvement or suggestions for strategies, exchange of best practices in the emergency situation of COVID-19.
4) Triple Impact Certification
The Recycling Center was selected by the Water Rivers Oceans Foundation –Members of the United Nations Global Compact to obtain the Triple Impact Certification.
The Foundation was created to mitigate the impact of man on water, by promoting prevention strategies, including training in environmental material. With the intention of becoming the leading organization in water control and prevention, through a culture of protection and training. It is a member of the United Nations Global Compact that promotes the implementation of ten principles to promote sustainable development.
