At each project, the company is working to foster a culture to promote the proper handling and disposal of materials. In Shushufindi, Ecuador, the team has built ecological footbridges as one of the initiatives to show how they can make a difference.

May 17 was World Recycling Day, originally declared by UNESCO in 1994, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of recycling as a tool for proper waste management, to reduce its impact on the environment and also mitigate climate change.

The pillar for proper waste management is separation at the moment that it’s generated.

Along these lines, Techint E&C is working to foster a culture that prizes the correct handling of materials, seeking to extend their life cycle, reuse them and thus maximize their utility. This is why it’s so important to remember the 4Rs.

• REDUCE waste generated.
• RECYCLE waste by turning it into a new, different product.
• RECOVER waste generated in order to introduce into a new process either directly or by means of some prior treatment.
• REUSE products to give them the same or another use. 

The company carries out a monthly survey at each project to monitor the waste generated as part of the information produced within the context of our sustainable environment management efforts.

Building ecological footbridges in Ecuador

During 2020, in the Shushufindi camp, work at the Shushufindi camp had decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and some projects had been put on hold. This meant that many of the products usually employed in this type of works were starting to expire and had to be disposed of as waste, increasing both the volume and the costs involved in their end disposal.

However, as these were non-hazardous chemical products, the employees at the camp decided to find another destination for them and came up with the idea of using them to build ecological catwalks, or footbridges, to cross the worksite.

The team rolled up their sleeves and set to work, using the waste materials mixed with 14 liters of rainwater, leftover iron rods, recycled wood and concrete cylinders, to create the catwalks.

"We‘ve reused materials, cutting final disposal costs and creating a solution to reduce the risk of personnel falls," says Diego Taborda, QHSE manager in Ecuador. He adds that "this type of initiative is the result of our people’s enthusiasm and ability to see each waste item as a potential resource, thus contributing to fostering a culture of care for the environment."