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Bolivia: new environmental protection project supports sustainable businesses in the transportation sector

09.04.2019
Bolivia’s cities are undergoing constant growth. With more traffic comes more waste from vehicles: tyres, junk, motor oil, etc. Due to its complex and often toxic components, this waste is of-ten difficult to recycle. After many years of worldwide experience, Swisscontact is starting up a new environmental protection project in Bolivia that fosters “green” enterprises with an aim to combat the detrimental effects of climate change.

The “Markets for Recycling” project was launched in January 2019 and aims to support businesses in Bolivia’s four largest cities (La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz), implementing models that foster their growth and sustainability. The ecosystem of these companies is thereby strengthened.

Creating higher incomes and more jobs with “Green Business”

Green Business offers goods and services in recycling, water, energy, urban transport, and other environmental fields. For example, a green business might be a recycling firm that creates a new product from waste or offers a service to properly dispose of hazardous waste.

These businesses are important as they create sustainable jobs and new sources of income for the population. Additionally, they offer specific solutions to local environmental problems in both the public and private sector. Project activities focus primarily on the recycling sector, investigating the available potential of systemically viable waste management.

Recycling tyres, lead, junk, and motor oil

The project helps to develop solutions for waste generated by the transport sector, including tyres, lead, acid from batteries, junk, and motor oil. In Bolivia, small and medium enterprises recycling these materials already exist. The potential for growth of these companies and further waste recycling is very high.

Resource-efficient business opportunities are implemented to help transform waste into a new valuable resource. The project will help reduce environmental pollution and improve public health in Bolivia. 

“Para Ellas” Stories

Through a partnership between the newspaper “El Deber” and Swisscontact, multiple articles were published in the “Para Ellas” monthly column specialising in women’s issues. In this column, Swisscontact presents project activities and partners primarily headed by women. You will find the stories in the right column.

“Markets for Recycling” is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) along with the Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation.

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