Machu Picchu Pueblo to Manage100% of Its Solid Waste

By Yveneka Lestin Apr 22, 2019 11:39am

Inkaterra and AJE Group have succeeded in making Machu Picchu Pueblo manage 100 percent of its solid waste.

AJE Group and Inkaterra presented the first organic waste treatment plant to the city. Through the process of pyrolysis, in which the waste is decomposed at high temperatures without oxygen, seven tons of trash is processed per day, generating bio-coal, a natural fertilizer that will be used to restore the Andean cloud forest and contribute to the agricultural productivity of Machu Picchu.

The alliance between Inkaterra, the AJE Group and the Municipality of Machu Picchu aims to change perception of the city into a sustainable destination and become an example of management for ecotourism worldwide. Alongside the organic waste treatment plant, the two companies had previously delivered a plastic compactor plant to National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP), which will be used to recycle trash found along the Inca Trail in South America. The plant was donated in 2017 and prevented the ruins of Machu Picchu from entering UNESCO's list of Heritage at Risk. Currently, 14 tons of polyester plastic are processed daily in this plant.

In 2018, a Biodiesel and Glycerin Plant was inaugurated at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. By processing used vegetable oil from Machu Picchu's homes, lodges, hotels and restaurants, 20 gallons of biodiesel are produced daily from nearly 6,000 liters of used oil a month. The glycerin obtained in the process of making biodiesel is also used by the Municipality to clean the stone floors, replacing chemical products.

For more information on Inkaterra Association's conservation efforts, please visit: https://www.inkaterra.com/inkaterra-asociacion-org/en/

Machu Picchu Pueblo to Manage100% of Its Solid Waste

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