Claudia Pineda

Chilean environmentalist leading the fight against plastic pollution in Latin America

Claudia Pineda: Championing Zero-Waste Communities in Chile

Claudia Pineda (born 1967) catalyzed Latin America's zero-waste movement through her grassroots organization Reducción de Residuos founded in 1992. Her campaigns reduced Santiago's plastic waste by 40% and inspired similar initiatives across 12 countries.

Pineda pioneered the Plastic Credit System in 1998, allowing businesses to offset plastic use through recycling investments. This model was adopted by the Chilean government in 2000, making it the first country to implement such a system nationwide. Her 2001 documentary 《Plastic Paradise》 (available on Vimeo) exposed the Pacific Garbage Patch's impact on marine ecosystems.

As a UN Environment Programme advisor, she helped draft the 2000 Plastic Pollution Framework. Pineda's 2003 book 《Beyond the Landfill》 became required reading in environmental studies programs globally. Her work earned her the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2005, the youngest recipient from Latin America to that date.