Massive 24 Billion Dollar Waste Recycling Opportunity Awaits in Mexico PROtrash Community
go to original August 29, 2016

ProTrash: Social economic accelerator by the exchange of trash for food to empower people in urban slums. (PROtrash Community Organization)

Today, recycling has become one of the most profitable businesses in the world: in Mexico alone, there is a 24 billion USD market opportunity in the recyclable waste industry. However, this opportunity is not being capitalized upon. The problem is that there are not enough opportunities, and the hard work of the people already involved is not being fairly compensated.

Right now, the waste industry in Mexico is controlled by 1% of Mexico’s richest population, who keeps most of the profit and have a network of trash pickers at their disposal. In addition, trash industries are often controlled by mafias, which keep most of the benefits instead of helping their neighbors and their country progress economically.

Watching this problem grow has led us (4 Mexican recent college graduates) to create PROtrash, a startup that creates opportunities for people living in slums by increasing the value of an average person’s recyclable waste.

After studying the process of waste in urban slums, we realized that families living in these areas do not see the real value of their recyclable waste, besides the existing “pepenadores” role. We are spreading awareness and creating opportunities for people in our country to see the value their trash has economically and environmentally.

PROtrash will impact the entire recycling value chain, and unlock the potential of 24 billion dollars of value found in recyclable materials. We will revolutionize the waste management process in urban slums, create financial incentives for every person to pick their own trash, dramatically increase the volume of trash picked, and then re-distribute income across the value chain, effectively doubling the income of people in slums and dump hubs. Our system creates several multiplier effects as well, such as creating environmental knowledge, becoming an economic accelerator, and most importantly, improving the quality of life of people living in urban slums.

For more information about our project visit the website at PROtrashco.com

Read the whole article at The Huffington Post

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