Holistic Partnerships Create the Circularity of Tomorrow: ECOCE

Q: ECOCE has evolved significantly over the past two decades. How would you describe the organization’s core mission and its role in Mexico’s environmental landscape today?
A: ECOCE is a project that began 23 years ago as a response to the extended producer responsibility of food and beverage packaging manufacturers. We initially focused on beverage containers because that sector has a high turnover and involves products for direct human consumption, which brings its own set of unique requirements. We focused on PET containers. Today, this has allowed Mexico to achieve a 64% collection and recycling rate for these containers. This is a major achievement for the entire country; it is a higher percentage than what is seen in Canada and the United States, and it is very similar to the recovery rates across Europe. Also, ECOCE actively participates in the development of laws and public policies in coordination with SEMARNAT. This type of collaboration reflects a joint effort to strengthen the regulatory framework and move toward a more sustainable future.

Q: ECOCE operates under a shared producer responsibility model aligned with Mexico’s General Law for the Prevention and Integral Management of Waste (LGPGIR). How would you define this model, and how does it support the legal framework?

A: As a non-profit civil association, ECOCE is 100% sponsored by the industry. This means all the responsibility, costs, and management are covered by these companies. It is a model that seeks to promote environmental education through action. We are now expanding our projects to include other materials beyond PET, such as flexible packaging from the food industry.

One of our primary roles is the overview of what is known as a Management Plan. This is a public policy tool derived from the waste law that regulates integral management and provides tools to utilize materials once they reach the end of their useful life. These tools are fascinating because their ultimate goal is not just collection, but ensuring proper separation from the very beginning. Consuming responsibly also means managing responsibly after consumption. We do not like to speak of waste because our objective is to ensure these materials circulate back into the value chain. 

Q: How has the regulatory framework for waste in Mexico evolved, and what role does ECOCE play in bridging the gap between industry commitments and public policy?

A: To understand where we are, we have to look at the history of LGPGIR, which established the Management Plan as a core tool. These plans allow us to manage post-consumption packaging, materials that have reached the end of their intended life but still hold significant value for reuse. In 2019, we spearheaded the National Agreement for a New Plastics Economy. This was a landmark move because we adapted the international best practices of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) into a specific commitment for the Mexican industry.

This agreement was particularly significant because it was signed in the Senate. It was not just an industry pact; it was a formal commitment to a national legislative body. From that foundation, ECOCE has focused on building bridges with state and federal authorities, legislators, and decision-makers. We help them navigate the transition to a circular economy, a concept that, while appearing new, has long been rooted in our legislation through the goal of reincorporating materials into the production chain to avoid improper disposal in unregulated landfills.

Our collaboration with the states is built on formal agreements where we provide technical, legal, and communication support. For example, in 2025, we signed an agreement with the Mexico City  Congress to support their circularity initiatives through specialized advisory services. Public policy requires transversality; we align the sector’s capabilities with the authorities' obligations to create effective regulations.

Beyond policy, we execute direct environmental actions. We have a standing agreement with SEMARNAT to assist Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration with eco-rescues and cleaning water bodies and beaches across all of Mexico's coastal states. ECOCE facilitates the logistics, recovery, and channeling of these materials. It is important to note that we do not generate profit from this; we are facilitating a service to ensure these materials are channeled correctly while raising awareness through example.

We also prioritize high-level dialogue. At the end of 2025, we held a forum with the Chamber of Deputies and the President of the Climate Change Commission, Deputy Alejandra Chedraui, to hear perspectives from all sectors. Waste management is a shared responsibility, and it is not an easy task. That is why collaboration between the public and private sectors is the only way to achieve real results.

Q: Compared to other countries in North America and Europe, Mexico’s recycling infrastructure relies heavily on the informal sector, particularly individual waste collectors and sites. What is ECOCE’s relationship with the informal recycling sector, and how is it working to integrate the sector within Mexico’s wider recycling ecosystem?

A: Our primary focus is on fostering alliances based on clear parameters to facilitate recovery across all sectors. The informal sector is large and presents many challenges. However, we maintain alliances with various groups and work extensively with NGOs that have strong social and community reach.

There is an important distinction to make within our supply chain. Much of our work involves the recycling sector, but specifically the formal collectors rather than just the actual recyclers. Collectors are fundamental because they provide the material for the transformation process. We maintain several alliances with organizations that support these collectors to ensure the material enters the system correctly.

Our associates have established significant infrastructure. For example, there are major recycling plants such as PetStar in the State of Mexico. These facilities operate impressive community programs to promote proper recovery while improving social conditions. These efforts are directly linked to progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda, and climate change mitigation.

Q: What have been ECOCE's recent changes in its strategy and the materials it helps handle? 

A: While we have always operated as a multi-material management plan, we have recalibrated our strategy to meet modern management needs. Over the past three years, we have expanded our focus toward flexible packaging. These materials possess high potential for recovery but have historically suffered from low recovery rates.

The transition to ECOCE 2.0 involves more than just expanding the types of materials we handle; we are also broadening our strategies to better sensitize society regarding integral waste management. Our goal is to replicate the success we achieved 23 years ago with PET. At that time, the industry financed the creation of a market, establishing a mechanism where supply and demand could eventually function independently. Today, PET recycling in Mexico operates as a successful free market, and we intend to create that same organic, intuitive market for flexible plastics.

To achieve this, we created a specific department dedicated to these projects. We are seeking diverse alliances to generate the necessary infrastructure. For example, last year we signed an agreement for a pilot project in Cuautla using innovative technology. This project involves a plant operated by Greenback, where flexible materials are transformed through chemical recycling to produce pyrolytic oil.

We are currently in a diagnostic phase to understand the most efficient ways to recover and channel these materials. Chemical recycling is a specialized field, and we are innovating in this area. Even internationally, there are few advancements regarding flexible packaging, but we are committed to being pioneers in Mexico by creating these opportunities and establishing a robust recycling ecosystem.

Q: What are the key economic drivers propelling Mexico’s recycling growth, and how does ECOCE keep recycling economically viable for producers and recyclers?

A: We have reached a point where companies can no longer question whether their strategies, processes, or products should be sustainable. There is now a significant regulatory trend toward establishing circular processes. For example, the General Law on Circular Economy was recently approved by the Congress. This law seeks to ensure that every productive sector remains responsible for its processes and products.

Consequently, sustainability is no longer a matter of marketing; it is a fundamental requirement rooted in national legislation. However, we must acknowledge that migrating processes and products is complex. Engineering changes are costly, and we must remain conscious that productive chains involve everyone from micro-businesses to multinational corporations. We cannot define sustainability solely through the lens of large corporate entities. We must consider every level of commerce and find ways to create alliances that provide smaller players with the tools to migrate toward circularity.

Fortunately, there are effective programs available. I believe SEMARNAT is performing an interesting task in establishing an agenda that encourages the entire productive chain to become sustainable. I advise companies to seek information and allies in the public and private sectors. 

Education remains the most powerful tool for this transition. As we have coordinated with authorities, our approach reinforces the idea that environmental education is essential. One cannot implement what one does not understand. We are open to new collaborations and possess extensive data and a network of partners to help businesses navigate this transition.

Q: How will the new General Law of Circular Economy impact different productive sectors?

A: One of the most significant changes the General Law of Circular Economy will introduce is the requirement for all sectors to establish progressive targets regarding how they will manage or take responsibility for their products. This will depend heavily on the specific nature of each product. For example, the food and beverage sector must comply with strict hygiene, preservation, and food safety regulations. These mandatory standards ensure that materials in direct contact with humans are safe.

This presents an interesting challenge for all industries as they design their products for the medium and long term. Some products have a shorter shelf life by nature, and the packaging must respond to those specific requirements for food security. The law provides a framework for several management mechanisms, including a valuable tool called Implementation Agreements. These seek to foster convergence between the public and private sectors to define exactly how products will be managed throughout their life cycle.

I would like to see these sectors recognize that this is not merely a national issue but a global trend driven by increasing pressure on natural resources. Governments are becoming more aware that transversal collaboration between countries is essential. For instance, international conversations regarding a global plastics treaty are currently underway. However, we should not talk only about plastics; we must address the management of all waste. This conversation has significant geopolitical reach and will eventually be reflected in the Mexican legislation.

It is vital to build alliances with other countries, especially given our position within the USMCA sphere and our relationships with other major producers. The reality goes far beyond demonizing a single material. The goal is to find alternatives to manage all waste effectively so that it truly becomes a product once again. While many challenges remain, the existence of the General Law of Circular Economy in Mexico is already a major step forward.

ECOCE is a nonprofit civil association created by Mexico’s food and beverage industry to address post-consumer packaging waste through a shared producer responsibility model.