No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaPHOTO: Turning waste into virtual currency

PHOTO: Turning waste into virtual currency

Costa Rica discards 564 tons of plastic per day of which only 14 are recycled, according to the Ministry of Health’s Office of Environmental Health in charge of waste management in the country.

Since April 2018, a program seeks to stimulate recycling by giving value to waste through the exchange of it for a virtual currency that allows users to make purchases at stores linked with the initiative.

(Ezequiel Becerra / AFP)

Trending Now

Costa Rica Explains VAT Refunds for Hotel Stays Abroad

Travelers paying for overseas accommodation through certain booking platforms with Costa Rican credit or debit cards can face an automatic 13% VAT charge, even...

Arajet Pauses Its Costa Rica Flights Until November

The Dominican low-cost carrier has not flown to Costa Rica since 8 August and has nothing scheduled until November. Here is what it means if you were counting on the route.

Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya Communities Push for Greater Say in Protecting the Sea

Fundación MarViva has published two resources on the Gulf of Nicoya that together make a single argument: the people who have fished, gathered and...

Costa Rica Ordered to Fix Safety Problems on Route 32

Costa Rica’s Comptroller General has ordered highway authorities to address safety problems on Route 32 after finding that seven roundabouts on the key Caribbean...

Western Union Cuts Could Hit More Than 1,000 Jobs in Costa Rica

Western Union will shrink its Costa Rica operations center and move jobs to Guatemala, Lithuania and the Philippines.

Costa Rica Jaguar Reappears After Nearly Three Years Off the Cameras

A jaguar that had not been recorded by a wildlife camera in Costa Rica since 2023 has been photographed again on the Osa Peninsula,...

Costa Rica Sharks Get Cameras Built by Stanford Students

Scientists at the University of Costa Rica have strapped small cameras to nurse sharks in a protected Guanacaste bay, and what the animals are...

Tropical Wave 41 Crosses Costa Rica With Afternoon Storms and 75 km/h Gusts

Tropical wave No. 41 moved into Costa Rica before dawn today, and the part that matters for the rest of your day arrives after...

Costa Rica Tourism Drivers Protest Possible Airport Access for Ride-Hailing Apps

Tourism transportation operators plan to demonstrate outside Casa Presidencial tomorrow over a possible change to legislation that could allow Uber-type ride-hailing services to operate...
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel