Carolina Mejía highlights social and environmental impact of the Plastics for School Supplies initiative
The mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía, led a new installment of the “Plastics for School Supplies” program this weekend, an initiative that has established itself as a fundamental pillar to support Dominican families ahead of the start of the school year and promote the preservation of the natural environment.
During the seventh edition of this exchange program, the official stressed that the project not only seeks to alleviate the economic burden on parents, but also to generate a collective awareness regarding solid waste management.
This is done first by thinking about how to ease the burden on our people’s pockets, how to ease the burden on the Dominican family in the face of the economic challenges that the return to the classroom represents.
Carolina Mejía, Mayor of the National District.
Results and environmental commitment
The impact of the program is remarkable. According to official figures, a total of 37 million plastic bottles have been collected in the seven previous versions. This preventive action prevents tons of waste from ending up polluting streams, rivers, and landfills, directly contributing to urban sustainability.
The mayor highlighted that the success of this initiative has been possible thanks to the strategic collaboration between the private sector, the Ministry of Education, and the National District City Hall. The trust placed by these allies has allowed the project’s reach to expand significantly with each session.
A model for the country
Given the success achieved, Mejía extended an open invitation to other municipal governments in the country to take an interest in the National District’s management model and replicate these actions in their respective jurisdictions.
- Strengthening the family economy through the exchange of recyclable materials.
- Comprehensive environmental education for citizens of all ages.
- Significant reduction of plastic pollution in drainage systems and water sources.
- Promotion of corporate social responsibility through strategic alliances.
Finally, the mayor expressed her satisfaction at seeing the integration of the families, highlighting that seeing parents receive their school supplies after their effort in recycling is a source of great joy and motivation to continue working for the well-being of the capital.
