Latin America and the Caribbean generate 231 million tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) annually, with only 2.2% formally recycled. In Chile, approximately 60,000 grassroots recyclers collect between 2 and 10 tons of recyclable waste per month. Despite their contribution, a 2021 study revealed most recyclers face socioeconomic challenges, including incomes below the minimum wage and lack of pension contributions. With the impending implementation of Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law, which recognizes grassroots recyclers, there’s a significant opportunity for their formal integration into the recycling value chain.
This case study examines the role of the National Association of Recyclers of Chile (ANARCH) in supporting grassroots recyclers and integrating them into the recycling value chain. Through political advocacy, capacity-building, financial assistance, social support and operational initiatives, ANARCH empowers hard-to-reach grassroots recyclers to overcome systemic socioeconomic challenges. They represent around 5,000 grassroots recyclers across Chile, with 54 regional leaders.
Hard to Reach
Grassroots recyclers across 19 cooperatives in 10 regions of Chile.
Key Takeaways
ANARCH’s experiences offer valuable insights for other community-organized groups of informal workers in different contexts. These include how:
- Successful implementation of nation-wide laws requires clear communication across all levels of government.
- Enacting successful and sustainable change requires key stakeholders to build a strong foundation of trust and partnerships with the communities they serve.
- Effective interventions consider, and are responsive to the social, political, and cultural factors they operate in.
Researchers
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Lilik Andriyani
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Kaavya Jha
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Tully Mahr
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Iga Bagus Jaya Wardhana
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Yi Yi Yeap
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Kailin Tan
Mentors
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Maria Rodrigues
Director, Kindred
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Kirsty McKellar
Project Specialist, Kindred
Acknowledgments
This case study would not have been possible without the support and guidance of The University of Melbourne, Kindred, The Reach Alliance, our local partners La Ciudad Posible and ANARCH, and most importantly, the grassroots recyclers who so generously shared their experiences with us. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to this project. First, we express our gratitude to our faculty mentors, Kirsty McKellar and Maria Rodrigues from Kindred, for their invaluable guidance from the commencement of the program in March. Thank you to the team at Reach Alliance for their support on the project — Peter Muir for his coaching and team-building support, Jacqueline Larson for her editing expertise, and Sana Khan for her design of this report.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the team at La Ciudad Posible, especially Lucia Cruzatt, Mayling Yuen Espinoza, and Carmen Gloria, for facilitating connections with local grassroots recyclers and ANARCH. We are also thankful to ANARCH’s board members — Soledad Mella Vidal, Alejandro Antonio Mena, and Ana Luisa Jaque Campos — for generously sharing their experiences and expertise with us. Our time in Santiago could not have gone as smoothly without the simultaneous translation provided by Pedro, whose engagement enriched our connection with everyone in Chile and contributed to the nuance of our discussion. Our deepest appreciation goes to the grassroots recyclers of the four cooperatives in metropolitan Santiago who welcomed us into their homes and workspaces. Their openness and willingness to share their stories played a crucial role in advancing our understanding about grassroots recycling in Chile. Muchísimas gracias. Lastly, all of this would not be possible without the support of Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Adrian Little and the Global, Culture and Engagement Office at the University of Melbourne.
This research was approved by the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee (Reference ID: 202430001-56730-6).