There is a daily gesture for a growing number of citizens that is worth much more than it seems at first glance. The recycling of packaging, which continues to increase every year since in Spain 12% more are currently recycled than five years ago, is not only important because of the significant savings in virgin raw materials and energy (9.84 million MWH in 2023) and water (15.53 million). m3 – but also because it can contribute to helping important NGOs in their humanitarian work.
“It’s amazing to see how an action has two sides: people recycle and they can then choose to help an NGO. “They have helped us a lot in many projects,” says Belén Solera, director of marketing and institutional relations of the Juegaterapia Foundation, one of the organizations that can be helped by RECICLOS, a system that offers rewards to its users for recycling, with locations distributed in selected municipalities of all autonomous communities. Concretely, thanks to the donation of 7,000 RECICLOS points from Valencians, “La Salle du Sourire” was inaugurated in the pediatric oncology hospitalization area of the La Fe university hospital, in Valencia. This space has illustrations, vinyls and games, as well as spaces in which a game or interaction linked to laughter is offered and a “laughter kit”, full of remedies and advice to make others laugh , present in every room.
This isn’t the only organization that has received help by donating points earned from recycling plastic drink cans and bottles with RECICLOS. “This recycling system has the philosophy of collaboration through recycling, giving users of this application the possibility of donating their points to ongoing charitable projects at any time,” explains Nieves Rey, director of communications and marketing of Ecoembes. “Thanks to this project and its users, we have been able to create alliances with associations like Grandes Amigos, to give company to the elderly; the Red Cross, which helps people affected by the war in Ukraine or the La Palma volcano; Children’s Villages, to support minors with fewer resources; Juegaterapia, to make sick children’s stay in hospital more bearable; or the Spanish Association Against Cancer, which renews our commitment to being close to cancer patients and giving visibility to their fight against this disease,” explains Rey.
Recycle to help oncology research
In fact, the alliance between Ecoembes and the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) was born two years ago. “Through this business collaboration we have supported specific projects such as the children’s camps that we organized within the Association for boys and girls with cancer and their brothers and sisters, in which more than 360 boys and girls last year,” explains Maria de Lorenzo, commercial director of the Spanish Cancer Association. In total, there are 11 projects to which users have given nearly a million points and which cover the different needs of a patient diagnosed with this disease, whether it is contributing to research, care psycho-oncological services for patients and their families or financial assistance for basic care. household items, care and food, among others.
De Lorenzo highlights the importance of his association in relation to a disease that, in Spain, will be diagnosed in more than 279,000 people in 2023, according to calculations by the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN). “Today, the AECC is the social and private entity that allocates the most funds to cancer research: 114 million euros in 603 projects, in which more than 1,500 researchers participate,” explains he. Thanks to this, they can offer free services and promote oncology research with a very clear objective: “Achieve 70% cancer survival by 2030,” says De Lorenzo.
This is therefore one of the priority alliances for Ecoembes, even if it is certainly not the only one. “Thanks to the solidarity of RECICLOS users, we have already carried out more than 500 projects at regional and national level, and this collaborative movement does not stop there: we will continue with more alliances and projects to be able to contribute to build a better society. With the simple act of recycling you can help those who are going through difficult times due to illness, having lost their home, having family members who suffer from a rare illness, or even reforesting our natural spaces, protecting species threatened or leave our environment free. . of waste» concludes Rey.
