Roadmap for Transitioning to a Circular Economy Municipality of Turrialba
Turrialba, Costa Rica - (9.9090995, -83.6812527)
Accessibility, Vendor and Product Properties, Convenience, Desirability, Norms and Preferences
Local, Regional
Citizens/Consumers, Businesses, Public Sector
Ongoing
The roadmap originally address food waste in the Canton. Through ambitious programmes tackling, collecting and composting food waste the Canton also address the food environment and food security among the citizens. This is addressed primarily through community involvement and by establishing eco-friendly processes with local businesses, restaurants, markets, ice cream parlours and butchers. The goal is to minimise waste, recycle organic materials and repurposing them. To support this transformation, Turrialba's plan includes mapping local initiatives, creating partnerships, and identifying barriers to circular practices. In Turrialba, local food and agricultural sectors—such as restaurants, greengrocers, and markets—are key components of the economy. These sectors are increasingly adopting sustainable practices, not only to reduce costs but to respond to consumer demand for eco-friendly businesses. This roadmap helps these businesses transition to practices that reduce waste, recycle materials, and, in the case of organic waste, contribute to composting and soil health enhancement.
The roadmap was driven by both environmental and socio-economic factors critical to Costa Rica’s national sustainability goals. - Food waste has significant environmental impacts, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. - Improper food waste management leads to resource inefficiencies adding unnecessary strain to ecosystems. - Economically food waste presents a loss of resources both in terms of the food itself and the associated energy and labor invested in production. - Costa Rica’s national policies aim to increase local resilience against climate change. This is done by encouraging circular economy practices that transform waste into resources and foster sustainable urban planning. - A need to enhance community well-being and foster local economical growth.
The Municipality of Turrialba is primarily responsible for overseeing the roadmap. Support is given by national agencies such as Costa Rica's Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) and the Institute for Municipal Development and Advisory (IFAM). The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) contribute technical expertise, funding, and capacity-building support to facilitate the roadmap’s goals and to help monitor progress against circular economy benchmarks.
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