Guatemala
3.7 Guatemala Waste Management and Recycling Infrastructure Assessment
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Overview

On average, each Guatemalan generates 0.519 kilograms of waste and solid residues daily. Of this amount, 53% corresponds to organic matter, 9% to sanitary waste, 9% to plastic and 6% to paper and cardboard.   

The collection system in Guatemala City is carried out as follows: the municipality of Guatemala collects 13.7%, 71.3% by private companies, and 15% is deposited in illegal dumps or is burned in the open. 

Only in Guatemala City, the residual waters, both domestic and industrial (65% of the companies in the country's industrial sector are located there which generates downloads of wastewater) in several cases do not pass through treatment plants and are discharged into the watercourses of the ravines. This has favoured the fact that water contamination has reached all the hydrographic basins of the City. The greatest load (63%) is received by the Motagua River. 

The Motagua river receives, through the Las Vacas river basin, a large part of the wastewater residential, industrial and rainwater in Guatemala City, the water from the Motagua River is is the main source of water in the northeastern region of the country, both for irrigation of crops and for consumption by human and animal populations. 


For more information on company contact details, please see the following link:4.12 Waste Management Companies Contact List.

The Guatemalan Regulation for Waste Management 

Please see: https://sgp.gob.gt/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AG-164-2021.pdf 

About the regulation 

This regulation of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) involves all those individuals or legal entities, public or private, national or foreign that, as a result of their activities, produce residues or common solid waste, which must separate them at the moment of its generation and disposal. 

The regulation is in force since August 2021, and in these first two years of its implementation, the classification is primary. In year 2023, secondary separation will begin (paper and cardboard, glass, plastic, metal, multilayer, plywood and others), which is mandatory. 

This is the first regulation in Guatemala that regulates, in an integral way, the separation from the home, office, company or industry, the collection, transfer, storage, treatment and final disposal of garbage. 

The new regulations also seek to promote the circular economy, a production and consumption model that values ​​the materials of the products, in which the raw materials are kept longer in the production cycles, which implies recycling, reusing, repairing, renewing and to share. 

Spaces for temporary storage of residues and waste must have minimum standards applicable to spaces or sites, as well as infrastructure, containers, collection vehicles, authorized procedures and adequate transportation. 

The breach, omission and violation of the rules established in the regulation, as well as any infraction committed by the entities subject to the regulation that fail to comply with the provisions, will receive sanctions of one to 40 minimum wages. 

https://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/es/c/LEX-FAOC207000/#:~:text=El%20presente%20Reglamento%20tiene%20por,evitar%20la%20contaminaci%C3%B3n%20del%20ambiente. 

Other efforts 

Hidroeléctrica Río Las Vacas generates electrical energy that is 100% environmentally friendly, using the course of the Las Vacas River, which is made up of approximately 60% of the drains in Guatemala City. Is the first Guatemalan company certified by the United Nations for production free of carbon dioxide. The hydroelectric extract non-organic waste such as plastics and rubber from the Las Vacas River, which is processed in their own recycling plant and later transformed into useful elements. 

https://www.hidrovacas.com/index.html 

350 tons of waste are removed from the Motagua River during the first half of 2021 

https://agn.gt/retiran-350-toneladas-de-desechos-del-rio-motagua-durante-primer-semestre-de-2021/ 

The Problem of Plastic Pollution in the Rio Motagua, Guatemala  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ32lSQjWU0 

Interceptor Trashfence Guatemala  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rVTWsQ23Pk 

Company 

Street / Physical Address 

Name 

Title 

Email  

Phone Number (office) 

Fax Number  

Website  

Description of Waste Management Services 

Ecotermo 

9 Ave. 16-29 Zona 10, Guatemala 

n/a 

 

 

info@ecotermo.com.gt 

 

 

PBX: (502) 2305-5400 

 

https://www.ecotermo.com.gt/ 

Bio waste management 

 

Eco-reprocesos 

Oficina: Km.29.6 Carr.al Pacifico C.C. Flores del lago, 

Plaza D, 3er. Nivel Of. 13, Amatitlán, Guatemala 01063 

n/a 

 

info@eco-reprocesos.com 

Tel: (502) 6671-6600 

WhatsApp: (502) 4278-9328 

 

https://www.eco-reprocesos.com/index.html 

Technical management of Non Hazardous , solid, liquid, industrial and commercial waste 

Thermodinamica 

Carr. Amatitlán Km. 12, Flexibodega 2, Bodega 4, Zona 0, Villa Nueva. 

n/a 

 

gerencia@thermodinamica.net 

mercadeo@thermodinamica.net 

(502) 2234-9724 al 26 

 

https://www.thermodinamica.net/ 

Comprehensive Management of Hospital Solid Waste and Industrial Waste. 

 

Biotrash 

Offices: 15 Av. "A" 14-34 zona 10 Colonia Oakland II, Guatemala. 

Compound: 9na Calle 11-39 zona 5 Paraíso del Frutal, Villa Nueva 

 

 

info@biotrash.com 

gerente.financiero@biotrash.com 

 

PBX: (502) 2291-2800 

 

https://www.biotrash.com 

Guatemalan company focused on integral management of biohazardous waste from hospital solid waste, hazardous waste from industry, commerce and final consumer sector; electrical and electronic equipment, chemical products, PCBs and POPs. Provide training and assessment. Has ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications. Has  licenses granted by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, MARN 

Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales 

Dirección para el Manejo de Residuos y Desechos Sólidos 

 

n/a 

 

aramirez@marn.gob.gt 

marnenlinea@marn.gob.gt 

 

MARN EN LINEA (502) 2423-0500 extensión 1021 

PBX: (502) 2423-0500 

 

https://www.marn.gob.gt/viceministro-de-recursos-naturales-y-cambio-climatico/los-residuos-y-desechos-solidos/direccion-para-el-manejo-de-residuos-y-desechos-solidos/ 

 

Provide technical assistance to the public or private sector, for the management of residues and solid waste, when required 


Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.



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