Costa Rica has learned to recycle and it has also learned that those materials are an excellent business for the country.
According PROCOMER (Promotora de Comercio Exterior), in 2015 the country exported $77 million worth of recyclables.
$ 2.2 billion in plastic were sold to Hong Kong (37%) and China (14%). These two countries bought 51% of total amount of Costa Rican plastic shipments.
The buyers use this plastic to produce clothing and sleeping bags, among other items.
But Costa Rica also sells other recycled materials. South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietman are the main buyers of iron and steel recycled materials, paper and cardboard and aluminum. The United States also bought recycled copper, glass, nickel, tin and precious metals from Costa Rica.