On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the workshop “Inclusive Recycling and Fair Tonne: Towards a Responsible and Sustainable Economy in the Management of Recyclable Waste” was held, a space for dialogue promoted by Latitude R and Fundación AVINA, ReciVeci® and Alianza Zero Waste Ecuador.
This event was held at the Simón Bolívar Andean University and was attended by more than 35 people, including university students, academics, basic waste pickers and representatives of related institutions. The workshop aimed to socialize and validate with the youth community the concepts of justice at work, inclusive recycling and fair tonne, as well as the factors that determine their application in the work of basic waste pickers.
One of the most outstanding dynamics was the Role-play, which allowed participants to reflect on these concepts in an experiential way. The activity generated valuable discussions and reaffirmed the importance of continuing to collectively build meaning and its application in practice.
The importance of the Just Ton
The “Just Ton” is an innovative concept that goes beyond the amount of recycled materials recovered. This approach seeks to ensure that the recovery process is carried out under decent, safe and fair conditions for basic recyclers. It is based on five fundamental pillars:
- Access to clean, dry, and separate material
- Economic and social recognition through payment for the collection and management service of recyclable waste.
- Formalization of the work of waste pickers.
- Access to health, safety and decent working conditions.
- Visibility and inclusion of grassroots recyclers in waste management.
The workshop included the following presentations:
- Reflection on justice and fair work, by Ljubica Fuentes: addressed the importance of justice at work, stressing the need to ensure equitable working conditions. In his speech, he mentioned that women work an average of 31 hours more than men a week.
- Inclusive recycling from the perspective of the recycler's guild, by Elbia Pisuña. She is represented the waste pickers union and emphasized the key role of grassroots waste pickers in the circular economy, asking for their economic and social recognition, as well as the guarantee of their labor rights.
- Alliance for Development Foundation-Simon Bolivar Andean University, by Melissa Monge. He spoke about the rights of the waste pickers in Cuenca and Portoviejo, as well as the efforts made by the foundation in their defense.
- Social and Technological Innovation in Recycling with ReciApp®, by Edicson Gamba, Operations Coordinator at ReciVeci®. He shared the internal process carried out by the ReciVeci® team to define the concept of a fair ton and the key factors considered in its creation, highlighting the importance of social and technological innovation in recycling and how ReciApp is a technological tool that contributes to the recovery of just tons.
A joint effort for equity in recycling
Felipe Toledo, Program Manager and Country Manager of Fundación Avina, highlighted the need to strengthen the debate on the right ton to guarantee equitable and decent systems for basic waste pickers. He also emphasized that this discussion is part of a global debate on social and environmental justice.
This workshop was made possible thanks to the joint effort of Latitude R, Avina Foundation, Renarec, Zero Waste Alliance and ReciVeci®, organizations committed to the circular economy and the inclusion of grass-roots recyclers in the development of fairer and more sustainable waste management models.
