Innovation

With the experience of Equisan in the recollecting and classifying of garbage and residuals, they realized that the method of incinerating them, especially the plastic, generates a very high environmental impact. Hence the idea of reusing and incorporating it into the productive chain by the transformation of a 100% recyclable material into "PLASTIC WOOD", thus replacing many other elements produced from wood. PLASTIC WOOD can be utilized in fences, corrals for animals, playgrounds, stowage, truck stakes, camps, among others.

With this initiative Esquisan has generated benefit for the environment but also for the company as well as for all the people involved in the transformation chain. Through correct classification it is possible to obtain new products that
have the following advantages: "high resistance, economical, durable, and ecological; reducing the disposal of residuals in the city's landfills as well as the pollution, taking into account that plastic lasts 100 to 1000 years before being disintegrated, also contributing to the reduction of cutting trees, avoiding the loss of biodiversity in large forest sectors" said Juan David Vasquez – Communications Coordinator of Esquisan.

Inspiration

Nowadays, as consumerism is becoming increasingly high and more waste is being generated, there is an initiative to reuse plastic waste that are thrown out daily and becoming an environmental issue, by giving such waste a new use re-incorporating it into the production chain again. This waste can be used as plastic wood, replacing many products who's raw material is wood, helping with the reduction of logging and conserving biological diversity in large forest areas.

Overall impact

The major impact that has been achieved by means of reutilization of industrial waste, especially the plastic, has been to diminish the destruction of trees and the re-use of a highly pollutant material for the environment. At the same time diminishing the impact in sanitary landfills by means of the classification and compaction of the residues.

The training that Esquisan does in the Municipality of Fontibón has awakened awareness of the effects that bad waste sorting generates. Thereby amplifying the principal source of recovery of most of the residues for plastic wood production.

Business benefit

"Nowadays Esquisan handles 15,000 tons of residual material in a year, which is approximately the same amount that Bogotá generates in 2 days. These residuals are classified and 30% of them are reintroduced into the productive chain which implies an economic benefit both for the company generating the residuals and for people and companies involved in the productive chain of transformation " said Juan David Vasquez.

A major impact that has been achieved through the use of plastics waste in particular is the reduction of the destruction of trees and the reuse of material highly polluting for the environment as well as the reduction of the impact on the landfill by the classification and compaction of residuals.

Esquisan carried out trainings in the town of Fontibón, that has allowed the population to become more aware of the effects of poor classification of waste, attacking the main source and thus recovering most of the residuals to produce “PLASTIC WOOD”.

Social and environmental benefit

• Reduction of 163.940 KG of Carbon emissions.
• Reduction in the extraction of 172.188 Gallons of Oil, a non renewable resource.
• Decrease in cost of disposition of residues.
• Increased opportunities through a circular economy.
• Optimization of the management of industrial residues.
• Contribution to social and environmental responsibility.
• Cultural transformation about waste management through awareness campaigns and training

Interview

JUAN DAVID VASQUEZ and HERSSON ESQUIVEL, Communications Coordinator and General Manager