Monitoring the Technification of PET Recycling in Educational Institutions.
Keywords:
monitoring; recycling; compactor; PET; sustainability; environmental education.Abstract
Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. Globally, approximately 359 million tons of plastic are generated annually, a significant fraction of which ends up in landfills or the environment, causing irreversible damage to ecosystems. In Ecuador, the situation is critical, with 15,000 tons of solid waste produced daily, of which only 4% is recycled. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles represent a substantial portion of this waste due to their widespread use as beverage containers and their slow degradation. Educational institutions can play a crucial role in promoting recycling and sustainability by implementing plastic bottle compacting machines. These machines not only reduce waste volume, facilitating transportation and recycling, but also serve as educational tools to foster a culture of sustainability among students and faculty. This paper analyzes the technification of PET recycling at the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Central Técnico (ISTCT) and the importance of monitoring in the implementation of these technologies. Drawing on the semester records of the "Juntos por el Ambiente" Club (2023-I to 2025-II), a descriptive and trend analysis of PET collection is performed, showing sustained growth even though the process is still carried out manually and the compacting machine developed at the institution is not yet operational. The study emphasizes that, without monitoring and follow-up mechanisms, the technical, environmental, and educational benefits of these initiatives risk being lost, and it explores the implications of their adoption within a broader framework of public policies and sustainability strategies.
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