The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) and Pesticide Action Network Latin America (RAPAL) sent a letter to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of El Salvador, Eng. Herman Rosa Chávez, expressing deep concern over the possibility of burning waste with the pesticide toxaphene in cement kilns operated by the local company CESSA, a local subsidiary of Holcim.

Copenhagen, 7 December 2009 – Fifteen million people worldwide make a living from waste picking. They collect, sort, clean and in some cases, process these recyclables, returning them to industry as an inexpensive and low-carbon raw material. Wastepickers are incredibly efficient recyclers – and can achieve recycling rates higher than 80%. Their recycling work reduces emissions up to 25 times more than incineration does. Wastepickers significantly reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions through recycling rates, and could further reduce emissions given proper support.

10 reasons why gasification, pyrolysis & plasma incineration are not “green solutions”

Groups united within the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), urged governments to adopt Zero Waste as an essential strategy to spur dramatic reduction in GHG from landfills and incinerators. As part of the yearly Global Day of Action against Waste and Incineration, at least 165 groups from 39 countries seeking environmental, climate and economic justice wrote to their government negotiators and conducted activities to urge governments to incorporate Zero Waste as a central strategy to fight climate change.