Recycling in Costa Rica

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Recycling has become one of the activities that are helping to solve, in part, the problems caused by the millions of tons of solid waste produced daily by human beings worldwide. In Costa Rica, for example, produce about 11,000 tons of garbage daily, of which approximately, 9,000 tons can be recycled.

Thanks to recycling helps to reduce the impacts to the environment, less waste is thrown in public places or areas and produce less polluting gases, which allowed to improve the quality of these places and air. All this while using fewer non-renewable natural resources like water and trees and also save large amounts of nonrenewable natural resources such as oil, coal and metals.

Every project begins with something small, so that the culture of recycling as part of our homes is no exception. If you want to start a project to recycle waste and garbage generated at home, begin to qualify, that’s the key.

We can start with something as simple as:

1. Choosing a single type of waste material for recycling, either newsprint, plastic bottles or aluminum cans.
2. Once chosen the material, you need a place to deposit it. To this can be used from a trash bag to a cardboard box. No need to waste money on expensive containers to begin, with something comfortable, practical and economic will be more than enough to start.
3. Do not throw the material collected. Contact the company or community center of your choice.

The Government is responsible for collecting the garbage, but if it can barely pick up ALL together, it could never work with a recycling plan, at least not for now. That is why, as Costa Rican citizens, is our duty and obligation to help each other in order to make Costa Rica a better and greener place.

Here’s a short list to contact and meet your local community center or gathering nearest collection. Similarly, it is important to note that generally all schools and municipality of each region has a recycling collection center.

San Jose:

Alajuelita. Collection center, east side of the church. Tel: 2252-4016. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Curridabat. Is collected on Wednesdays. Place materials in plastic bags. Tel: 2272-0126. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.
Desamparados. Collection center 200 meters before the cemetery. Tel: 2227-2942. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum, cardboard, metal and batteries.
Escazú. Fixed routes is collected every two weeks and there are six barrels of collection in the city. Tel: 2228-5757. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum, cardboard and batteries.
San Isidro de El General. Collection center in Barrio La Ceniza. Tel: 2772-3472. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum, metal and cardboard.
Santa Ana. Collection center 200 m N, 100 m O of the main entrance to the city. Tel: 2203-3344. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.
Tibás. Collection center near the Caribbean bus stop. Tel: 2240-7155. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.

Alajuela:

Grecia. Collection center near the former factory Warner. Tel: 2444-2885. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum, cardboard and batteries.
Naranjo. Collection center at City Hall. Tel: 2451-5858. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
San Ramon. Collection center 700 m N, 300 m E of the hospital. Tel: 2447-2181. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Sarchi. Collection center near City Hall. Tel: 2454-4001. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.
Zarcero. Collection center 200 m S of the park. Tel: 2463-3160. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.

Heredia:

San Isidro. Alvernia Center collection, 200 m N, 300 m E of the church. Call for pick up at the Central Valley. Tel: 2268-8591. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
San Rafael. Collection center next to the Nursing Home. Fixed routes for collection. Tel: 2237-0789. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Santa Barbara. Collection center in the former Rural Guard. Tel: 2269-6621. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.

Cartago:

Juan Viñas. Collection center near the church. Tel: 2532-1045. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Orosi / Paraiso. Collection centers: Purisil 5 km south of Orosi, Palomo 2 km east of Orosi. Tel: 2574-8371. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
San Marcos de Tarrazú. collection center 25 m O of school. Tel: 2546-6879. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.

Guanacaste:

Abangares. Collection center 100 m E of the Red Cross. Tel: 2662-0510. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Liberia: Collection center in Barrio Guadalupe in front of El Sabanero rice, next to the sports square. Tel: 8916-0003 / 8815-1169. Fax: 2665-1656 / 2665-1998. Paper, aluminum, cardboard, plastic, batteries, iron, copper, brass and electronics.
Playa Hermosa. Collection barrels in the second entrance to the beach. Tel: 2672-0108. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.
Tilarán. Fixed routes for collection. Tel: 2695-5432. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.

Limon:

Cahuita. ReciCaribe collection barrels in the city. Tel: 2750-0347. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Guácimo. Collection center in the former train station. Tel: 2716-6073. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Puerto Viejo. ReciCaribe collection barrels in the city. Tel: 2750-0347. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Siquirres. Reciplas collection center, Freeholt Siquirres. Tel: 2765-8301. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.
Tortuguero. Collection barrels around the city. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.

Puntarenas:

Esparza. Collection center at City Hall. Tel: 2636-7878. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum and cardboard.
Quepos / Manuel Antonio. Collection center diagonal of landfills in Anita, 5 km from Quepos. It collects Thursday mornings for business. Tel: 2777-2020. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, cardboard and aluminum.
Puerto Jimenez. Collection center near the Technical College. Glass, plastic, paper, newspaper, aluminum, cardboard and batteries.

Links to learn more about Recycling in Costa Rica:

Costa Rica Reciclaje
Fundación CEPRONA
Redcicla, Red de Reciclaje de Costa Rica