The Secretariat for science, technology, and innovation of Mexico City decided to launch a project to support waste management in situ. SUEMA collects residue from cactus production and gives value to the waste by transforming it into electric energy in the bio-digester in the process of anaerobic digestion. The community working at the local market is motivated to gather the residue because they understand that they can save on electricity bills and produce free lighting at the place of work.

Around three to five tons of cactus waste, including thorns, are diverted from landfills every day and fed to the bio-digester. In addition to producing energy, this process also keeps methane emissions from getting into the atmosphere which would happen if the organic matter got discarded in landfills. Methane, a gas created from food waste, creates a warming effect that is 34 times stronger than that of CO2.

SUEMA was established in 2010 and has since been working on combating climate change and transforming the country’s economy through innovative methods of solid waste management combined with high social impact.

This video is one of the episodes in the documentary series WATT IF – Energies for climate created by Olivier, makesense reporter, in partnership with EDF.

makesense is a global organization that inspires and empowers citizens, entrepreneurs, and organizations to build an inclusive and sustainable society together. Energies for Climate is a global campaign aiming to accelerate the transition towards low-carbon and accessible energy for everyone.

Follow SUEMA at https://suema.com.mx/

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