Garbage separation
One of the key elements to increase the capacity for waste revaluation will be the correct separation of garbage, because although the plants operate well, their capacity to recover recyclable materials is limited because they arrive mixed with organic waste.
The ‘Transform your City, Every Garbage in Its Place’ strategy, with which the separation of waste will be mandatory as of January 1, 2026, establishes a massive communication campaign to raise awareness among citizens; educational and environmental culture intervention in schools, communities and public spaces, as well as permanent coordination with mayors and cleaning workers to guarantee differentiated and efficient collection.
Researcher Vázquez Morrillas considers that a key element is educating citizens, reaching agreements with cleaning workers unions and political will, since the garbage collection service in the neighborhoods is in charge of the mayors.
“Waste collection in the city is the responsibility of the mayors and in this sense there have been no approved efforts, there are mayors where a certain level of waste separation has been maintained and others where it has practically been abandoned,” explains the UAM academic.
Additionally, by 2026, the city government will allocate 250 million pesos to purchase new garbage collection vehicles, in a scheme where for each new vehicle purchased by a mayor’s office, the central government will acquire one more and there will be differentiated collection days.
-Organic waste: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
-Recyclable inorganic waste: Monday and Wednesday
-Inorganic non-recyclable: Friday and Sunday
Researcher Vázquez Morrillas considers that a key element is educating citizens, reaching agreements with cleaning workers unions and political will, since the garbage collection service in the neighborhoods is in charge of the mayors.
“Waste collection in the city is the responsibility of the mayors and in this sense there have been no approved efforts, there are mayors where a certain level of waste separation has been maintained and others where it has practically been abandoned,” explains the UAM academic.
