6.9 million kilos later: PQA’s commitment to floriculture

At PQA, we understand that greenhouse plastic management does not end when plastic leaves the farm. That is where a process begins that must ensure proper and traceable handling and recovery.

It all starts with the collection of used plastic by an authorized environmental waste manager, who is responsible for its collection, weighing, and documentation. The material is then transported to PQA’s facility, where its arrival is recorded and the sorting process begins.

The plastic goes through shredding, grinding, and washing to remove soil, organic matter, and other impurities. Once it is clean and dry, it enters the extrusion, filtration, and pelletizing stages, where it is transformed back into recycled raw material.

Traceability is a fundamental part of the entire process. From collection at the farm to arrival at the facility and subsequent processing, PQA works to ensure that every stage can be identified and supported by documentation.

At the end of the process, PQA issues the corresponding Certificate of Final Disposal, providing documented evidence of the material’s final destination.

A process that does not use drinking water

Water management is one of the pillars of the operation.

The process handles an approximate flow rate of 30 m³ per hour. To meet this demand without relying on drinking water, PQA collects rainwater in its own reservoirs and recirculates 100% of the water used in the recycling process.

The wash water passes through a treatment plant, where it is homogenized and filtered to separate sediments before being returned to the process. As a result, no wastewater is discharged into streams or other natural water bodies.

The resulting sludge is pressed and handed over to authorized environmental waste managers.

This approach allows PQA not only to recover greenhouse plastic and transform it back into raw material, but also to use water responsibly and control the waste generated throughout the process, strengthening its commitment to the circular economy and responsible environmental management.

Why the formal channel matters

As a leading supplier to Ecuador’s floriculture industry, PQA emphasizes a key point: handing plastic over to a waste manager is not enough if the farm does not verify what happens to the material afterward.

When plastic is handled through informal channels, it can be resold as covering material for production systems that do not operate under the environmental, technical, and commercial standards expected of a formal flower farm.

This creates unfair competition for companies that comply with their environmental obligations. There is also an environmental risk: waste managers without adequate facilities or controls may discharge contaminated water into streams or other natural water bodies.

That is why PQA encourages farms not simply to hand over their used plastic, but to verify its final destination.

Working with authorized waste managers and documented processes ensures that the material actually reaches a recycling process, protecting both the environment and a more equitable market.

For farms, this means having documentary evidence of proper handling, demonstrating compliance with their environmental commitments, and having confidence that their plastic will not return to the informal market.

The results, in numbers

Since the beginning of its operations, PQA has recycled 6,929,148.13 kg of greenhouse plastic.

Beyond the volume itself, this figure represents a formal chain in which plastic can be traced from the farm to its transformation into new raw material.

For PQA, it confirms that greenhouse plastic can be given a second life through responsible and controlled processes.

The environmental problem is not plastic itself, but what happens to it when it reaches the end of its useful life.

That is why, together with flower farms and authorized waste managers, PQA continues to strengthen a culture of responsible management built on traceability, environmental responsibility, and the principles of the circular economy.