Chilean Dairy Sector Enhances Plastic Waste Management

The Chilean dairy industry is making strides towards a more circular approach to managing its plastic waste. A significant development in this effort is the collaboration between ProREP and Consorcio Lechero, aimed at enhancing the collection, recycling, and traceability of plastics used in dairy farms.

This initiative is also designed to raise awareness among producers and consultants about their responsibilities and the opportunities associated with the Producer Extended Responsibility Law (Ley REP). Initial activities will focus on education and training, along with campaigns to recover agricultural plastic waste and increase its value.

Nesko Kuzmicic, Operations and Circular Economy Manager at ProREP, emphasized the goal of facilitating circular and sustainable management directly on farms. He noted that the objective is to strengthen traceability so that materials can be monitored from their origin to their final valuation.

Currently, 30% of Chile's milk production comes from 250 certified dairy establishments under the Sustainability Standard for Dairy Farms, part of the Chile Origen Consciente program led by the Ministry of Agriculture. Natalie Jones, Sustainability Area Coordinator at Consorcio Lechero, stated that the new partnership will aid in managing and revaluing waste and in training producers and their teams.

The agreement builds on a previous campaign conducted in May in Osorno, where polypropylene raffia sacks and maxi-sacks were collected with the support of ProREP and Consorcio Lechero. Producers brought their waste to a collection point for further management. The new agreement aims to expand such efforts, seeking to develop a system that allows for the recovery, valorization, and certification of proper plastic waste management in dairy farming.