Recycling of face masks reaches 15 tons and project has added three new municipalities

The Technological Development Unit (UDT) added the municipalities of Laja, San Pedro and Quillón to the recycling of masks. It also added a new model of flower pot to its line of recycled products.

With more than 15 tons of masks recycled, new models of flower pots and municipalities incorporated to the collection task, the Technological Development Unit continues to advance in its project for the recycling and recovery of disposable masks.

Carla Pérez Quilodrán, assistant director of the Technological Development Unit’s Consulting and Innovation Department, commented that “we also have two new planter molds, one small and the other large, for succulent-type plants. We have already tested the small one”.

Pérez also pointed out that in the latest update of figures, as of August 31, the total of recycled masks was 15.1 tons, totaling more than 3,700,000 units. The collection of these masks is carried out through 120 organizations, including municipalities, educational establishments, public service areas and companies, which work in a network to deliver the material to the Technological Development Unit, located in Coronel. Although the collection points are not the direct responsibility of the UDT, “we know that through the different agreements, such as those with Softys or Asipes, different establishments have been joining in”.

Another novelty is that three new municipalities, those of Laja, Quillón and San Pedro, have joined the task of recycling, increasing from seven to ten the number of municipalities that will collect the material. As for the collection points, although there are some that are private, a wide network of points open to the general public is also available. Some of these are: Municipality of Concepción, on the first and fourth floors; the Forum of the Universidad de Concepción, Coronel Intermodal Station, Municipalities of Talcahuano and Cobquecura, Carriel Sur Airport, UPITA store on Autopista del Itata and Mall del Centro Concepción.

According to UDT data, if on average a person uses between one and two masks, that translates into 17 million masks or 80 tons of a material that does not degrade in the environment, such as polypropylene. Therefore, after the stages of collection, disinfection, milling and other mechanical processes, it can be reused again in the form of trays, flower pots and other products, which are agreed with the purchasing companies.

Source: UdeC News
Photo: Maribel Fornerod/Dircom UdeC