Recycle Vallarta
Wed. 05th/Sep/2017.
With the area's long term residents more environmentally conscious than ever before in the pursuit of keeping the Banderas Bay beautiful, resource conservation is receiving new focus from the local government as well as from the community. In fact, several convenient recycling programs have been recently established to help locals do their part to minimize waste and effectively address the epidemic of overflowing landfills in the country.
Recycling Practices
Although the local government is still working to integrate citywide recycling collection with its trash pickup program, they have also issued several guidelines that can help make a smoother transition into an established recycling program.
Small plastic bottles have been identified as a particular threat to the area's ecosystems, as they are extremely common and can blow into the streets or even float into the ocean in mass amounts during rainy season if improperly disposed of. Frequent water drinkers should invest in reusable containers filled from large bottles to help lower waste levels as well as taking their empty disposable bottles to the city's Centro district for recycling.
Another problematic material for recycling efforts is Styrofoam, which is nearly ubiquitous in use for the city's network of streetside eateries as well as in homes in the area. This material cannot be recycled, and is minimally biodegradable, taking hundreds of years to break down. Long term visitors concerned about the environment should make an effort to use Styrofoam tableware as infrequently as possible and consider choosing street stands that use reusable plates.
Can Recycling
The grassroots conservation initiative that has taken hold in Puerto Vallarta during recent years also extends to aluminum cans, one of the most versatile and recyclable materials commonly used for packaging. Although there is no dedicated local program in place at the time of writing, independent collectors in the area are diligent about this type of recycling. This means that compacting used cans and placing them in a clear plastic bag in your garbage area is an outstanding way to ensure they are properly processed, and the independent collectors are rewarded directly for their efforts.
Plastic Bag Recycling
Long term residents know that a simple shopping trip to one of the area's supermarkets can mean dozens of bags left over, many of which simply end up in the trash. Fortunately, local businesses have identified this as an issue, and some including the Mega supermarket chain will accept used plastic bags filled with used plastic bags for recycling. Alternately, these bags also make convenient liners for small trash cans as well as garbage bags for beach trips, and can be used in a number of other ways as well.
Cell Phone Recycling
The array of component that make up a cell phone and its power supply includes many materials proven to be harmful to the environment, especially when allowed to break down in a landfill and enter the soil and groundwater supply relied on by wildlife in the area. For this reason, the TelCel store in the Galerias Mall located in the Marina Vallarta section of the city has a bin available to deposit old cell phones, batteries and chargers for processing, keeping these dangerous materials out of the local ecosystem.
The area's green revolution is still in its relative infancy, but the community is quickly rallying to the cause. By taking small steps like these, environmentally conscious residents of Puerto Vallarta can ensure a cleaner city for visitors and locals alike and increase public awareness of conservation efforts.
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