Plan de comunicación para incentivar la cultura de reciclaje en la ciudad de Quito, como parte del proyecto de la iniciativa para el reciclaje inclusivo (IRR)

The idea to draft a Strategic Communiations Plan to promote a recycling culture in Quito, has its origin in the Regional Initiative for Inclusive Recycling, IRR (abbreviation in spanish) project for 2015-2017, “Capacity building and collaboration to achieve the formalization of inclusive recycling in Ecuador’s solid waste management”. The IRR was created in order to incorporate and recognize informal waste pickers in the formal recycling market in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Initiative was founded by the Multilateral Investment Fund (FOMIN), Water and Sanitation Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Coca-Cola Latin America, Avina Foundation, the Recycler Latin American Network (Red- LACRE, abbreviation in spanish) and PepsiCo Latin America. The document presents an overview of residential solid waste management around the world and, from a national and local point of view, in Quito. Through the use of data and facts, it shows the complexity around an Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) and the need to address this issue and disseminate information that helps citizens improve habits regarding solid waste disposal. The main argument is that SWM is an environmental, a public health, a resource management and social issue. The next chapter is on communication and a recycling culture. Firstly, a connection is established between knowledge and culture in order to contrast culture further on with consumerism habits, and in consequence, solid waste disposal habits. Secondly, it analizes the importance of communication, and explores communication tools that might facilitate and foster a cultural change, are explored. Finally, building a recycling culture is necesary to aim society towards a sustainable future. The third chapter presents the research that was carried out in order to design the communication plan. It focused on approaching waste sorting habits at home, identifying the knowledge regarding the recycling supply chain, and research citizens’ perceptions on waste pickers, their work and recycling information in general. The communication plan’s connecting thread is indirect lobbying, aimed towards citizens with the object of creating awareness on the subject, providing useful information in order to facilitate waste sorting from potentially recyclable material and promote committment towards of people a cultural change. The collective action of citizen has the potential to mobilize media, central and local government and the industries towards inclusive recycling.