Recive Ci, one of the outstanding companies of the Accelerator 100+ program, is a start-up led by Ecuadorian women which is revolutionizing the recycling industry in Ecuador. Its main objective is promote inclusive recycling and connect grassroots waste pickers with citizens, the private sector and the public sector to promote the transition to a circular economy.
In the year 2022, ReciVeci was selected together with 35 other start-ups worldwideto implement a pilot plan focused on the recovery of recyclable packaging and packaging, mainly PET, glass and metal.
Ecuador faces significant challenges in waste management. Between 2018 and January 2022, The country imported a total of 48,473 tons of plastic waste, with 13,151 tons imported in 2020, based on data collected. In addition, between 30% and 50% of the waste arrives mixed with other materials, which makes it difficult to recycle them and results in their final disposal in landfills and landfills, causing significant environmental damage.
The recovery project of ReciveCI is based on a formal system for collecting post-consumer packaging through a mobile application called ReciApp,developed and operated by the company. In addition, they offer recyclable waste collection services at homes, companies and events in several cities in the country.
The ReciVeci pilot project is based on three fundamental strategies:
- Door-to-door material collection through ReciApp.
- Collections at neighborhood events.
- Collection at recycling stations and collection centers strategically located in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca.
Thanks to these strategies, ReciVeci was able to achieve the following objectives:
- Financially benefit 510 basic recyclers.
- Make 300 recycling deliveries through ReciApp.
- Manage 210 units of recyclable material and offer payment for the collection service.
- Avoid the emission of 173 tons of CO2-equivalents.
These achievements have been achieved through activations, the implementation of stations of recycling, the carrying out recycling and the launch of the project in the city of Cuenca, as well as the project “Cumbayá Recycle”.
In total, 65 tons of recyclable materials have been recovered, which is equivalent to an estimated value of $21,000. The purpose of ReciVeci is to promote the proper separation of solid waste in Ecuador and to generate inclusive practices with grassroots recyclers. Given the success of the pilot project, they hope to be able to replicate it in the coming years and continue to promote inclusive recycling in the country.
