Want to recycle?

Want to recycle? Here’s where to go.

By Carolina Vargas, February 2020, edited by Sheila Madsen.

“We are still in diapers” is how Carolina began our interview. She is referring to the lack of knowledge, the lack of desire and the lack of places to recycle in Mazatlan. Carolina has spent months researching the information for this article – on her own time – as she’s passionate about  zero waste and the 3Rs – refusing, reducing, and reusing.

A few facts: 1] every day Mazatlan produces 600 tons of garbage; 2] the city of Mazatlan and the state of Sinaloa do not support a single recycling depot. All the depots mentioned below are run by volunteers who are concerned and are willing to donate their time and space to help with “this problem.” That expression is in quotes because it’s not a problem, it’s our future and Mazatlan is lagging sadly behind, well, in diapers. 3] if you live in a condo, an apartment or a house and you put your garbage out – even if you separate it into plastic, glass etc. it is NOT recycled. 4] the garbage men may sift through it and sell it, or perhaps an independent pepenador/Spanish for “collector” will collect it and resell it.

If you want to recycle, really recycle, here’s where to go. Recycling is a work in progress; baby steps, so do call ahead. Remember, these are passionate volunteers who most likely have other jobs.

Yarde del Angel – is another recycling depot in Centro. It’s located on 21 de Marzo #1401, across from the seafood restaurant Marisqueria El Changuirongo. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Sundays but do call ahead to double check – 985 2903 – with Covid-19 you never know.  Yarde del Angel accepts glass, paper, plastic etc, all neatly bundled and depending on how heavy [by the pound by the kilo] you may even receive a few pesos!

Separado no es basura

[Now open!]

Av. Rafael Buelna [Soriana el Toreo parking lot, in front of Office Depot] Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m.

What they will take:

*Paper and cardboard [books, notebooks, newspapers, tickets, shredded paper -should be clean dry and tied up]

*Plastic bottles [rinsed, dry and crushed]* Cartons – milk, cereal cookie, [crushed and clean]

*Aluminum and metal cans [rinsed, dry and crushed]

What they will NOT take:

glass, Tetrapacks, cloth, Styrofoam, plastic that can’t be recycled such as CD cases, batteries, wood, plastic face masks and gloves, electronics [cables, cell phones, tvs, computers.]

Tirado’s oil

This is really a service for restaurants, schools and hotels, but hey, if you want to get a container going in your condo, your apartment, your street, go for it! Pick up service. Need to make an appointment. 669 153 – 8476.

*Used cooking oil [you need to collect a good amount of oil so they can pick it up and then clean it.

Jovialt

Av. De los andes 712 Fracc. Alameda [in front of Colegio Andes.] The containers are in an outside depot, located behind the ambulance entrance, it’s open 24/7.
*Glass [glass bottles and jars must be rinsed, clean and dry – separated into dark and clear glass]

Victor Navarro

Pick up service. Need to make an appointment. 669 234 – 0679.

*Glass [glass bottles and jars must be rinsed, clean and dry and separated into dark and clear glass]

Toyota Mazatlan

Av. Reforma 314 Col. Flamingo’s [in front of Gran Plaza] Monday to Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

*Batteries -you can deliver the batteries to the front desk

CAT Educativo y Ambiental

Diente de Leon 18509, Pradera Dorada, sección 2. Need to make an appointment. 669 230 – 5555

*Electronic Waste: any kind of cable, cell phone, CPU, monitor, charger, keyboard, modem, mouse, etc.

*Paper [clean and dry]

*Plastic bottles [rinsed, dry and crushed]

*Plastic lids

*Aluminum cans [rinsed, dry and crushed]

Carolina is desperate to change the mindset of Mazatlan and she says: “if you know of any other collection center, please contact me at hola@refeel.mx to update our database. Thank you for being part of the change.”

So, now you know where to go, thanks to Carolina Vargas.

[Carolina is from Mazatlan and lived in Seattle for five years. Seattle introduced her to zero waste, composting and living in a sustainable culture. When she returned to Mazatlan she co-founded Refeel Cultura Sostenible – where the focus is on creating awareness about sustainability in Mazatlan. She’s aware that the foreign community understands and wants to recycle. If you have any ideas or suggestions please e mail Carolina at hola@refeel.mx]