In a significant step towards promoting sustainable waste management and supporting the Circular Economy, Minister of Industry, Commerce, and SMEs, Víctor -Ito- Bisonó, spearheaded the installation of two NUVI (New Life for Waste) containers. This effort is part of a larger initiative aimed at enhancing the proper management, recovery, and commercialization of solid and industrial waste, contributing to sustainable development.
The installation took place at the Administrative Offices of the Duarte Industrial Park on World Environment Day. Minister Bisonó highlighted the government’s dedication to environmental preservation, noting key initiatives such as the signing of important agreements to foster sustainability and recycling. Additionally, the Ministry has upgraded its courier services by replacing motorcycles with electric ones and has set up NUVI collection points for recycling plastic bottles.
This initiative emphasizes cultural change, presenting both challenges and opportunities. Mario Pujols, Executive Vice President of AIRD and President of NUVI, expressed optimism that the installation of NUVI points, bolstered by communication and awareness campaigns, will facilitate the collection of thousands of bottles each month within the Duarte Industrial Park. The collected bottles will undergo various processes with the park’s collaboration to reintegrate them into the circular economy.
José Gabriel Rodríguez, Executive Vice President of the Duarte Industrial Park, noted that these NUVI points will effectively manage the collection of plastic bottles used by companies within the park, thereby supporting the circular economy.
This project is a part of a public-private alliance involving the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and SMEs (MICM), the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), NUVI, and the Duarte Industrial Park, which is home to 48 companies committed to waste reuse. The gathered plastic bottles are set to be processed at a compaction and packaging plant before being exported to other countries in the region for conversion into raw materials for new bottle production at a food-grade plastic recycling facility.