La Union in Costa Rica: some valuable inspiration for reducing plastic waste
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary, part III of the activities and impact of Connective Cities
La Union is well-known for its advocacy for a greener future. The city’s commitment to combating single-use plastic is an inspiring example to other communities.
Plastic waste is polluting the environment across almost the whole planet – in Augsburg in southern Germany and Irbid in Jordan, just as much as in Hawassa in Ethiopia or Kandy in Sri Lanka. And strategies for reducing this flood of plastic are similar the world over. In Costa Rica, the city administration of La Union decided it was worthwhile engaging in an exchange of expertise with other international municipalities on this topic. After launching a project to reduce plastic waste in 2018, the invitation from Connective Cities to participate in a dialogue event entitled Plastic waste – how municipal waste management can contribute to solving the problem in Hamburg in 2019 came at exactly the right time. Representatives from the city shared with other municipalities their successful approach to raising awareness among the population and within the retail trade. In return, they benefited from other delegates’ knowledge and insights – including in unexpected areas such as organic waste management.
La Union’s approach: awareness raising
When attempting to reduce plastic waste, there are many approaches, as became clear at the event: improving waste collection and separation at household level; building recycling centres; optimising sorting facilities; and raising awareness among the population and businesses on how to reduce plastic waste. The municipality of La Union has been focusing on the last of these since 2018, with its ‘Plan for reducing single-use plastic’. The plan has sought to replace plastic with reusable packaging or compostable solutions. The municipality’s focus is on the retail trade, restaurants, and individual consumers.
