Nosara Recicla is pleased to announce that the pilot recycling program with Florida Bebidas has begun. As reported in June’s Talkin’ Trash blog, every week the Recycling Center will buy the recyclable material at the dump, compact it, and sell it to Florida Bebidas. The project began October 14, when the recyclables were weighed, paid for, and compacted. Once the project has produced 5,000 kg of recyclables, they will load the packets on the Carrillo truck. If the project can manage the volume of incoming material, and if the profit is high enough, another person can be hired to help process the recyclables. For more information, see June’s Talkin’ Trash blog.

Although similar initiatives can be found elsewhere in CR, Nosara’s project may be unique in establishing a central purchasing point in the community for recyclables. In addition, the use of Carrillo’s truck, which now comes to Nosara full and leaves empty, will save Florida Bebida transportation costs, which the company will reinvest in Nosara by paying a higher price for the compacted recyclables.

Florida Bebidas deserves a shout-out beyond this project for its strides in achieving environmental sustainability. As a key participant in MINAE’s Environmental Services Payment program, the company’s operations have been water neutral since 2012. In 2010, the company produced 55,000 kg of carbon dioxide per year. Changing from oil to biomass as its feedstock, producing steam from industrial processes at some of its plants, and buying local credits through Costa Rica’s carbon offset program, Florida Bebidas will be carbon neutral by the end of 2017.

We’re still collecting signatures on our petition to the Legislative Assembly to ban Styrofoam. Help us get to 100 signatures (we’re at 65 now) and we’ll stop bugging you. Tell your friends and family around the world that residency in Costa Rica is not necessary — anyone who hates styrofoam waste can sign: click here for online petition.