Central America & Caribbean

El Salvador

The country generated 4,226 t/day of waste in 2022 per MARN's National Diagnosis, with 17 sanitary landfills and only 5% recycling. Nejapa (MIDES), the largest landfill, received 2,022 t/day in 2021, above design capacity, and MARN warned it is saturated. Per MARN, used tires are co-processed with Holcim.

Regulatory framework

The rules that shape the business

Decreto Legislativo 527 2020 In force

Ley de Gestión Integral de Residuos y Fomento al Reciclaje

National waste framework. Lists used tires as special-handling waste (art. 28.d), recognizes energy recovery (art. 5) and provides for incentive programs (arts. 42-43). It does not establish EPR; it relies on generator responsibility (art. 4).

View regulation · faolex.fao.org

Decreto Legislativo 186 2024 In force

Ley Especial de Recolección, Aprovechamiento y Disposición Final de Residuos

Creates the National Solid Waste Authority (ANDRES), attached to the Ministry of Public Works with autonomy, to lead collection, recovery and final disposal. Municipalities must pay into its fund the equivalent of 50% of their waste fees.

View regulation · elsalvador.com

no verificado 2025 In force

Ley de Fomento para el Uso de la Energía Renovable

For 10 years exempts SIGET-qualified providers from income tax, VAT and import duties, and lets users deduct the investment from taxable income. Whether it covers biomass or biogas, or repeals Decree 462 of 2007, was not verified.

View regulation · ecija.com

Decreto Legislativo 462 2007 In force según última fuente

Ley de Incentivos Fiscales para el Fomento de las Energías Renovables en la Generación de Electricidad

Its 2009 regulation defines biomass as renewable energy and covers the duty exemption on machinery and the tax exemption on income from certified emission reduction (CER) sales.

View regulation · faolex.fao.org

Context

The residue, in figures

4.226 t/day

National waste generation

2022 · agronomia.ues.edu.sv

Sanitary landfills

2022 · agronomia.ues.edu.sv

Recycling rate

s.f. (estudio MARN-UES) · agronomia.ues.edu.sv

2.022,76 t/day

Daily intake at Nejapa landfill

2021 · eldiariodehoy.com

1.648.996

MSW generation (tonnes/year)

c. 2010-2016 (What a Waste 2.0, publ. 2018) · datacatalogfiles.worldbank.org

13,8

MSW sent to open dumps (%)

c. 2010-2016 (What a Waste 2.0, publ. 2018) · datacatalogfiles.worldbank.org

Incentives

Renewable Energy Promotion Law (2025): 10 years free of income tax, VAT and duties for qualified providers. Decree 462 of 2007 (2009 regulation) covers biomass and exempts CER income. Law 527 provides for MARN-Economy-Finance incentive programs, details not verified.

Which technology fits El Salvador

Priority feedstock: End-of-life tires and non-recyclable plastics (alternative to co-processing and landfill)
Why: The country disposes in sanitary landfills, Nejapa is saturated, and Law 527 recognizes energy recovery and classifies tires as special waste. Tires now depend on a single outlet (cement-kiln co-processing), and pyrolysis diversifies it by producing oil, carbon black and steel.

PYR

Pyrolysis

From end-of-life tires to products with a market.

Learn more

Sources consulted

Reference information compiled from public sources as of October 2026. It is not legal advice; confirm each regulation is current before making decisions.

Verification level: Medium

Other countries in the region

Panama Costa Rica Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Dominican Republic

Projects and proposals

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