Costa Rica is addressing a critical situation in solid waste management, with only 4% of waste currently being reused and more than 4,000 tons generated daily, according to a March 17 announcement. Of this amount, just 264 tons are recycled, leaving about 96% of waste without added value.
The low rate of recycling highlights the need for stronger national efforts to build a culture of recycling. In response, the National Directorate of CEN-CINAI has launched the “Niñez que Recicla, Futuro que Cambia” program. This initiative includes guidelines for managing waste in educational establishments and aims to teach environmental responsibility from early childhood.
The program seeks to involve families and communities by encouraging responsible environmental habits and reinforcing institutional commitment to sustainable practices. As part of this strategy, a pilot plan called “Gran Reto CEN-CINAI: Sembrando Futuro” is being developed through collaboration between the National Directorate of CEN-CINAI, the Ministry of Health, and private sector organizations such as Parque Diversiones, Grupo Monge, and the Museo de los Niños.
This national contest targets families with children enrolled in the country’s 647 CEN-CINAI centers—reaching over 181,000 minors—and encourages proper separation of household waste. The main goal is to instill recycling habits in children and their families from an early age.
The competition will recognize 27 winning families (nine per regional directorate), with collection taking place from March 17 to April 21. Organizers say that initiatives like this reaffirm their commitment to forming agents of change from early childhood and demonstrate that small actions at home can lead to significant transformations for Costa Rica.
