Southern Cone

Uruguay

Uruguay generates about 250,000 t/yr of plastic waste (60,000 t single-use), and packaging recovery was around 4% in 2022. The National Waste Management Plan (2022-2032) has agreements with 15 departments to close open dumps. For tires, the master-plan system has run since 2016 and cement-kiln co-processing was an early outlet, but there are no recent official generation figures.

Regulatory framework

The rules that shape the business

Ley 19.829 2019 In force

Ley de Gestión Integral de Residuos

Enacted 18 Sep 2019. Sets the waste hierarchy (prevention, reuse and recycling, energy recovery, final disposal), extended responsibility for manufacturers and importers of special waste (art. 41) and a tax on first sale of packaging and disposables (art. 42).

View regulation · impo.com.uy

Decreto 358/015 2015 In force

Reglamento de Gestión de Neumáticos y Cámaras fuera de Uso

Since July 2016 only companies in an approved 'master plan' (currently CINU and CE.CO.NE.U.) may sell tires, with nationwide collection and traceability. It bans abandonment and burning, restricts burial and sets no numeric targets: the ministry may set them gradually.

View regulation · impo.com.uy

Decreto 182/013 2013 In force

Decreto de residuos sólidos industriales (valorización energética como combustible alternativo)

The rule that Decree 358/015 (art. 12) refers to for regulating tire energy recovery as alternative fuel.

View regulation · impo.com.uy

Decreto 213/025 2025 In force

Reglamentación de la Ley 19.829 para residuos de obras de construcción, reforma y demolición

First stream-specific regulation of Law 19.829: requires minimizing and valorizing construction and demolition waste, a stream the National Plan prioritizes.

View regulation · impo.com.uy

Ley 19.996, art. 326 / Decreto 441/021 2021 In force

Impuesto al CO2 sobre las gasolinas

Carbon tax partly replacing the IMESI excise on gasoline: UYU 5,645.45 per t CO2 in 2022, adjusted annually. It covers gasoline only.

View regulation · iea.org

Context

The residue, in figures

~250.000 t/yr (≈60.000 t de un solo uso)

Plastic waste generated

2022 · gub.uy

~4%

Packaging recovery (targets: 30% by Dec 2023 and 50% by Dec 2025)

2022 · gub.uy

>3.500 t

ELTs collected by Reciclo NFU (Jan-Oct 2017)

2017 · gub.uy

~1,26 million t/yr; basural 17,5%; reciclaje 8%

MSW generated (World Bank)

What a Waste 2.0 (2018) · datacatalog.worldbank.org

Incentives

Law 19.829 allows tax credits for entities running collection or recycling systems and differential charges to discourage landfilling recyclable materials (art. 56). The CO2 tax applies to gasoline only. Free zones and the investment promotion regime (COMAP) were not verified against an official source in this research.

Which technology fits Uruguay

Priority feedstock: Plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled and end-of-life tires (partnering with the master plans); forestry and agro-industrial residues for carbonization.
Why: With 250,000 t/yr of plastic waste, packaging recovery near 4% against 50% targets and dump closures under way, pyrolysis offers a valorization route consistent with the Law 19.829 hierarchy at a modular scale suited to Uruguay's market.

PYR

Pyrolysis

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

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Carbonization

Biochar to a controlled specification from biomass.

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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

Chile Argentina Paraguay

Projects and proposals

Tell us what residue you have and what you want to obtain.

With the material type, available volume and location we prepare a preliminary technical assessment and the plant scope.

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