The Recyclers Union of La Plata, Berisso and Ensenada (SAREC) is advancing with a project that could change the labor reality of thousands of informal workers in the region. Secretary General Leandro Preste and Deputy Secretary Carlos Godoy explained the launch of the new delegation and the plans to transform cardboard work into formal employment.
Preste explained that the arrival of the union to the city is part of a long process: “It was to form a new commission and a delegation here in La Plata of SAREC.” The central goal, he stated, is to intervene in a historically precarious sector. As he explained, recycling is not only an environmental issue: it is a social and work activity that needs organization. That is why they point to the workers who today depend on the street: «The recyclers that we all know, the cartoneros. We point there to that reality.»
The leader was direct about the urgency of change: “We want these colleagues to have the opportunity to have a blank job, because it is not the same.”
The biggest bet of the new union is the creation of a 100 percent garbage recycling company, which will generate formal employment in La Plata, Berisso and Ensenada. Preste confirmed it bluntly: “We have a proposal to set up a 100 percent garbage recycling company,” although he stressed that progress will depend on political will: “This will cover not only La Plata, but also Berisso and Ensenada.”
Godoy added that they are already working with municipalities and institutions to shape the project: “We are looking for joint participation to be able to achieve things.” The intention, he summarized, is to create registered work: “The idea is to lead the way from the union to be able to create a source of work.”
The leaders assured that there is already land offered to install the plant: “Over the next week we will have more information.” The project also has national support, especially from the reference Tito Arienzo. According to Godoy, “starting in 2026 we will be able to launch something specifically to create a source of work.”
The most urgent concern remains the extreme precariousness of the sector. Preste summed it up crudely: “We are more than delicate in that sense,” remembering that many recyclers start their day before dawn and spend hours searching for cardboard, aluminum and materials that will allow them to fill the car to sell it in a warehouse.
The plan of the future company points to something more ambitious: “Not only recycling, but turning it into a raw material for other companies,” expanding the value chain and multiplying job opportunities. The sector’s estimate marks the magnitude of the challenge: «In Capital I only think there are more than 20 thousand people,» they noted, which projects a significant number for the region.
In parallel, the union has already started institutional conversations. “We have had a talk with the Ministry of Environment, which is Guillermo Escudero,” they confirmed, highlighting that municipal coordination will be key. They also announced a territorial agenda: activities in neighborhoods, training and meetings with neighbors to explain the importance of recycling and the role of the new organization.
SAREC seeks to establish itself as a central actor in the organization of recycling work and move towards a model where labor dignity stops being an exception and begins to be the norm.
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