Argentina remains only major Latin American economy without a packaging recycling law

Argentina is the only one of Latin America's five largest economies without a national extended producer responsibility law or mandatory recycled-content targets for packaging, according to a 2026 circular-economy dossier from plastics groups Ecoplás and CAIP. Recovered plastics volumes fell 11% in 2025 and recyclers are running with close to 50% idle capacity. Legislative debate has been stalled for more than two decades; the current bill, 1059-D-2025, remains in committee, though CAIP sees a chance of progress before year-end.

Why this mattersWithout producer-funded collection, Argentina's recyclers run half idle and the country lags neighbouring markets that already mandate producer responsibility and recycled content.

• Argentina is the only one of Latin America's five largest economies without a national Extended Producer Responsibility law for packaging, per Ecoplás
• Recovered plastics volume in Argentina fell 11% in 2025
• Argentina's recycling industry operates at close to 50% idle capacity
• National recycling rate is about 6%, according to UN estimates
• Bill 1059-D-2025, proposing privately financed EPR via deposit-return or integrated management systems, remains in congressional committee without a vote
• CAIP executive director Sergio Hilbrecht says a resolution before year-end is possible

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