Maria Fernanda Cabal

Revolutionized Colombia's recycling industry through community-based solutions

Maria Fernanda Cabal is a Colombian environmentalist and entrepreneur who transformed waste management through her Ecopetrol-supported initiative Reciclaje Ciudadano. Founded in 1999, this program created a network of 12,000+ community collectors who recycle 80% of Bogotá's waste. The model combines fair wages with environmental education, lifting families out of poverty while reducing landfill use by 60%.

Cabal's approach prioritizes dignified work over charity, ensuring collectors receive 30% more income than traditional recycling jobs. Her system inspired similar programs across Latin America, including Peru's Sostenibilidad Peru. She pioneered the 'Social Recycling' concept recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Her 2015 book 《Reciclaje con Corazón》 details her methods. Cabal has advised governments in Mexico and Brazil, and her work was featured in National Geographic's 2018 documentary 《Waste Not》.