♻ Recycling Center Closed
Labor Day, May 1, 2026
Our Partners
When materials are brought to the recycle collection center, volunteers will separate good condition containers and lids which we will save to be picked up weekly by a volunteer from Foodbank Lakeside.
FoodBank Lakeside then packages meals for delivery to the most vulnerable of the area’s population. They distribute nearly 30,000 depensas feeding close to 2,500 food insecure individuals - each month.
By reusing these containers, they avoid the expense of purchasing new ones in addition to cutting down on waste as these containers are not themelves easily recyclable.
Banco de Tapitas
Materials for recycling are traded by weight. This is why the center has a compactor which reduces the volume of material by 75% so we can ship more efficiently. It is easier to crush the bottles if the air is allowed to easily escape. For clear bottles, which is more than half of the plastic we receive, the caps are usually a different type which makes the batch less pure when remelted. There is another charity, Banco de Tapitas, that specializes in working only with plastic caps. They have grinders, which make the caps into pellets which makes them more valuable as they can be directly melted at a recycler. You may have seen the hearts throughout Mexico where they collect the caps.
They use the proceeds from the caps for cancer patients. They provide everything from meals to families visiting in hospitals to prosthetic limbs to those who have lost one to cancer.
AVNTK, SC
A nonprofit that supports the diagnosis of rare diseases including
Treacher Collins, Fanconi anemia, spinal muscular atrophy, ASER AC, and AMPEV AC. It is partially funded through the resale of e-waste. The Ajijic Recycling Center is partnering with the organization by serving as a collection point for e-waste in Lakeside. Besides materials being extracted such as copper, silver and nickel from e-waste cables
and components, many of the items collected can also be refurbished and reused by communities and non-profits in need.
Accepted items include laptops, PCs, printers, phones (landline and mobile), modems, UPS units, radios, tablets, iPads, Kindles, monitors, tape recorders, audio equipment and accessories, TVs (excluding tube models), copper cables, optical devices, video game consoles (e.g., Wii or Xbox, plus games), appliances, electrical tools, and most items containing electronics. NOTE: Please attach a note indicating whether the item works or should be recycled.
About the EdRC
Our Nonprofit:
Ecología de Ribera Chapala AC
The Ajijic Recycling Center started as a community effort in the fall of 2018 by local ex-pat Tom Thompson (owner of Barbara’s Bazaar) to address the growing waste problem along the Lakeside. It was later strengthened by the leadership of Harry Bublin who helped it become the organization it is today.
From the start, the Center faced significant challenges government bureaucracy, the absence of a formal address, limited funding, and lack of basic utilities. Despite these obstacles, volunteers kept the operation alive by sorting recyclable materials, selling donated books, and reinvesting every peso back into the mission.
Over time, those efforts paid off. The Center secured essential equipment, expanded services, and grew into a trusted community resource for recycling, reuse, and environmental education. In 2022, it became an official AC (Ecología de Ribera Chapala A.C.) and continues to evolve to serve the recycling needs of Lakeside.
Today, the Ajijic Recycling Center stands as proof of what sustained community commitment can achieve: a cleaner Lakeside, reduced waste, and a growing culture of environmental responsibility.
Our Vision
To motivate and empower our community to reduce waste, recycle responsibly, and protect our environment for future generations.
Our Mission
To provide accessible recycling services that enable residents and businesses of Ajijic to actively participate in environmental stewardship through recycling.
Our Team
Board of Directors
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President, Board of Directors:
Brad Wisniewski (2025 - 27) -
Treasurer, Board of Directors:
Brian Dalziel (2025 - 27) -
Secretary, Board of Directors:
Victoria Son (2026 - 28) -
Director-at-Large, Board of Directors:
Armando Toledo (2025 - 27) -
Director-at-Large, Board of Directors:
Marty Jordan (2026 - 28) -
Immediate Past VP, Board of Directors:
Harry Bublin (2023 - 25)
Staff and Volunteers
We have one paid staff member who runs the front of the recycling center and does the heavy lifting. The sorting of recyclables and managing of the bookstore are staffed by around 20 volunteers who work either morning or afternoon shifts of approximately 2 - 2.5 hours each.