Sucre Launches Waste-to-Biodiesel Plant in Landmark Public–Private Project

A solid waste treatment and industrialization plant located in the Lechuguillas area of Sucre is set to be officially launched this Thursday. The project will convert municipal waste into biodiesel and biofertilizer, marking a major step forward in the city’s waste management and energy transition efforts.

The facility is fully financed by Canadian company Quartz 21 under a public–private partnership (PPP) model. Quartz 21 will invest more than 148 million bolivianos in the construction of the plant and will operate and manage the facility for 20 years to recover its investment. After that period, ownership of the plant will be transferred to the municipal government. According to Quartz 21’s legal representative, Edgar Mendizábal, construction will take 544 days, with commercial operations expected to begin in about 18 months.

Municipal Infrastructure Secretary Iver Ortega described the start of construction as a historic milestone for the environment, noting that the project will eliminate both the municipal landfill and temporary dumping sites, providing a long-term solution to Sucre’s solid waste problem.

Once operational, the plant will process up to 200 tons of waste per day, roughly matching the city’s daily waste generation, with the option to expand capacity if needed. It will also treat leachate and operate with advanced technology designed to achieve zero gas and liquid emissions. The facility will run 24 hours a day in three shifts and is expected to create around 75 direct jobs. Quartz 21 stated that all existing waste currently stored at the Lechuguillas landfill and temporary sites will be processed once the plant begins operations, positioning Sucre as a national benchmark for environmental sustainability and circular economy development.