Ceres, a city of 16,537 inhabitants located in the northwest of the Province of Santa Fe, 17 kilometers from the border with Santiago del Estero, faces a significant challenge in managing urban solid waste. With 6,589 households generating approximately one kilogram of waste per day per household, the city produces a substantial volume of waste that requires efficient management to prevent negative environmental impacts.

The limited waste separation at the source significantly reduces recycling rates. Currently, 90% of the waste generated in the city ends up in an open-air landfill, causing serious environmental and economic consequences. The lack of proper separation diminishes the quality of raw materials available to the Recycling Cooperative, impacting its ability to operate profitably. This results in losses for both the cooperative and the municipality, which fails to capitalize on the economic potential of recyclable waste. The constant accumulation of waste in the landfill increases pollution and degrades the environment, negatively affecting the quality of life of residents.

This issue has roots in various factors. On one hand, the lack of political will and clear rules from the municipality have limited the implementation of effective policies that encourage waste separation at the source. On the other hand, the private sector has shown limited commitment to sustainability, avoiding active involvement in solving the city's environmental challenges. Additionally, the population lacks adequate environmental education, which decreases awareness about the importance of recycling and its impact on sustainable development. Moreover, there are no incentives to motivate citizens to engage in sustainable and productive practices, further reducing the chances of improving waste management.

In 2021, an environmental awareness campaign was launched for the six primary schools of Ceres. As part of this campaign, a competition was held to ideate the Environmental Superhero for Ceres among students. This led to the creation of R3, the Environmental Superhero, who was later personified by students participating in a theater workshop at the Municipal Lyceum of Ceres. Through their performances, R3 joined the awareness campaign on good environmental practices. In this competition, the character of Ceres Verde, the Environmental Heroine, also received an honorable mention and is now personified as R/, a Superheroine accompanying R3 in their awareness campaign.

The current situation reflects the urgent need for coordinated actions involving all community stakeholders. Through effective policies, environmental education, greater private sector involvement, and the implementation of incentives, it is possible to transform this issue into an opportunity to improve both the environmental and economic quality of Ceres.

• Development of a Digital Solution for Sustainability: The team will develop a digital application that includes a points redemption system and a program promoting environmental best practices. The platform will facilitate interaction between citizens, the private sector, and local government, encouraging responsible waste management and active participation in sustainable initiatives. The app will foster effective communication and contribute to strengthening community ties, creating a positive and lasting impact on environmental preservation. As a data collection method, surveys will be conducted with citizens, the private sector, and interviews with the public sector and waste management system personnel to understand their challenges regarding this issue and their opinions on citizens' adoption of the app.
• Creation of the Points Redemption System: Based on the survey findings conducted with both the public and private sectors, a gamification system will be implemented. This system will allow citizens to accumulate points, which can be redeemed for discounts or products at participating businesses. These points serve as rewards, motivating active participation in recycling efforts. The businesses participating in the program can also accumulate points, which can be redeemed for tax benefits from the local government, such as reductions in municipal fees. In collaboration with the Ceres Commercial, Industrial, Rural, and Service Center, and the Municipality’s Economics Department, a survey of businesses will be conducted to determine how the points system will be implemented and the redemption percentages.
• Creation of Smart Bins: Citizens will be able to take their recyclable materials to designated green points, where they will receive points based on the amount and type of material recycled. These points will be constructed using plastic wood, derived from the differentiated collection of household waste, linked to the Recyline Ceres Project. They will be strategically distributed across the six quadrants of Ceres.

The Green Points will feature an artificial intelligence (AI) system to automate the process of classifying recycled materials, optimizing the sorting process during waste disposal. The green point units will have “windows” for recognition on the front area, which will discriminate the type of waste to dispose of. Additionally, there will be a rear opening for unloading or decongesting the unit.

AI will process the images captured by the cameras installed in the bins (windows), identifying and classifying the types of waste deposited, such as plastic, paper, metal, and other recyclable materials. This process enables automatic sorting at the point of origin, ensuring that waste is properly separated for later treatment. This information will be sent to the app to be integrated into the points redemption system.

• Creation of Regulatory Framework for Tax Benefits: Collaboration will take place with the Honorable Municipal Council to agree on and endorse the administrative and economic actions related to the points system, in order to create the corresponding regulations. Integration with municipal systems will ensure that participating businesses receive the appropriate tax benefits.
• Environmental Awareness Campaigns for Children: A series of 9 educational and playful workshops will be conducted for primary and early education students in Ceres. The workshops will promote sustainable habits and the participation of the "Guardians of the Environment: R3 and R7." Additionally, once a month, awareness campaigns on good environmental practices will be carried out in various public spaces throughout the city.

Direct Results

• 9 awareness workshops in 6 primary schools and 3 early education schools.
• 2,530 students sensitized on environmental issues.
• 12 annual campaigns promoting good practices for environmental initiatives.
• 6,589 households and 2,043 private businesses in Ceres interacting through the digital platform *¡Yo Reciclo!*, driving citizen participation, environmental care, and economic development.
• 110 surveys conducted with citizens and the private sector to gather data on the issue and gather feedback on the proposed solution.
• 15 interviews conducted with 12 waste collectors, 2 service heads, and the public works secretary to gather information on waste collection services.

Expected Impact

• Improve waste collection efficiency and raise the percentage of recycled waste by the Recycling Cooperative from 10% to 30%.
• Increase citizen participation in sustainable actions by 50% by 2025.

• Technology with Purpose Foundation (https://technologywithpurpose.org/).
• Provincial Government of Santa Fe (https://www.santafe.gov.ar/).
• “Reciclar Ceres” Recycling Cooperative.
• Educational institutions: 3 early education centers; 6 primary schools, from different modalities; 5 secondary schools; 1 higher education institute for teaching degrees.
• UTN Ceres Extension, Rafaela Regional (https://www.instagram.com/utnceresextension/).
• Red de Innovación Local, Circular Cities Program (https://www.redinnovacionlocal.org/ciudades-circulares.php).
• Recyco Recycling, waste treatment company (https://www.instagram.com/recyco_recycling/?hl=es).

• Bessone, Sandra, Education Area Coordinator, Government of the City of Ceres (educacion@ceres.gob.ar).
• Bertorello, Dianela, Environment Area Coordinator, Government of the City of Ceres (medioambiente@ceres.gob.ar).
• Boscarol, Narella, Communication Area Coordinator, Government of the City of Ceres (comunicacion@ceres.gob.ar).
• Paulón, Florencia, Production Area Coordinator, Government of the City of Ceres (produccion@ceres.gob.ar).
• Sambrini, Rodrigo, Science and Technology Area Coordinator, Government of the City of Ceres (cienciaytecnologia@ceres.gob.ar).
• Palmier, Gianluca, Student, Technological University (palmiergianluca@gmail.com).
• Jamanca, Sofía, Student, Technological University (jamancasofiag@gmail.com).