The city of Rawson, in San Juan, Argentina, is part of the urban conglomerate surrounding the Capital City. It is the most populated department in the province, with 136,617 inhabitants (2022 Census), and a population density of 455.4 inhabitants/km². Its land use is 45% residential, 20% commercial-industrial, and 35% rural productive, with good road accessibility.

The main problem lies in the inadequate management of Construction and Demolition Waste (C&D). 80% of C&D waste consists of inert stone rubble (7,000 tons/year), which is neither treated nor valued. Its final disposal is used to level private land or ends up polluting the environment in illegal dumps, due to the lack of an official authorized landfill and a C&D management plan.

The causes of the problem are multiple: a process of counter-urbanization and building growth that generated a large amount of C&D waste, deficient planning with poorly calculated initial landfill capacity, lack of monitoring and control, mixing of waste, unplanned urban growth, insufficient incentives for efficient management, and lack of recycling facilities. Added to this are political and regulatory causes (lax legislation, weak enforcement, institutional disinterest) and lack of citizen awareness.

As a consequence, the three existing rubble dumps are closed, generating a large environmental liability. There is no official landfill, which encourages clandestine dumping. This causes water, soil, and air pollution, risk of fires (due to methane), loss of biodiversity, proliferation of pests, health problems, community conflicts, increased crime and marginalization, and wasted public funds due to remediation costs.

Circular Economy Policy with Own Legislation:

Study and debate in Deliberative Council commissions: On draft Framework Ordinance "C&D Management" and "REPA Program". (Duration: 6 months)

C&D Treatment and Valorization Plant:

Site recovery and remediation phase: Diagnosis, excavation, classification, environmental remediation, and permits. (Duration: 4 months)

Mobile Crusher installation and operation phase: Engineering and assembly of parts, commissioning, and rubble crushing. (Duration: 3 months)

Production and scaling phase: Quality control of recycled aggregates, market study, and marketing/commercialization plan. (Duration: 5 months)

High-impact Training and Capacitation for HR:

Course - Workshop: THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AS A LABOR OPPORTUNITY: For municipal workers and "Cóndor Urbano" Cooperative. (Duration: 2 bimonthly periods)

Direct Results:

Circular Economy Policy with Own Legislation: Legislation approved by the Deliberative Council and promulgated by the Mayor.

C&D Treatment and Valorization Plant: Detailed EIA report approved, 3 rubble dump sites recovered, mobile plant in operation, recycled aggregates produced.

High-impact Training and Capacitation for HR: 30 workers trained as valuation specialists.

Expected Impact:

Transform an environmental liability into an industrial asset, achieving sustainable economic growth and a definitive environmental solution to the rubble dump problem in Rawson.

Reduce the ecological footprint, replace the use of natural resources, create green jobs, and promote the circular economy in the construction sector in a replicable manner.

"Cóndor Andino" Cooperative

Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism and Design, U.N.S.J.

Faculty of Engineering, U.N.S.J.

Local & Circular Foundation

M.T.E. Base Recyclers Group (Movement of Excluded Workers)

Construction Container Companies

Construction Companies

Marcelo Parody M.: President – LOCAL&CIRCULAR FOUNDATION (parodymarcelo@gmail.com)

Santiago Barrena: University Liaison Center – RAWSON MUNICIPALITY (liensantiagobarre@hotmail.com)

Jaqueline Yubel: Director of Innovation and Productive Sustainability – RAWSON MUNICIPALITY (planificacionrawsongob@gmail.com)