SQM Litio creates pallets with 100% recycled plastic

Circular economy project will remove 3 tons of plastic

June 5, 2025 – San Pedro de Atacama: In a global first, SQM Litio has launched an innovative circular economy project that will produce 150.000 pallets annually by reusing nearly 3 tons of maxi-sacks from its own operations in the Salar de Atacama and from plastic waste recovered from the sea by Atando Cabos.

The plan, designed and led by the company's Supply Chain department, is being implemented through a strategic alliance with Comberplast, Atando Cabos, and Rehrig Pacific Chile (RPC). Chile becomes the first country in the world to implement a circular economy project of this magnitude.

In this project, which will emit 1.500 tons less CO₂ per year, the recovered material used in one year is equivalent to more than 2.000 kilometers of rope—or almost three trips from Santiago to Antofagasta.

Circular economy and 100% recycled plastic recycling

The project reuses waste from the ocean and SQM Litio's operations in the Salar de Atacama to create pallets with 100% recycled plastic, incorporating cutting-edge technology and complete traceability. Through the TRST platform developed by Atando Cabos, the origin and complete lifecycle of the recovered plastic can be identified, ensuring transparency throughout the entire process.

In Chile, according to the Plastics Industry Association (ASIPLA), 106.870 tons are recycled annually. With this initiative, this figure will increase by 2%.

The origin of change: replacing virgin plastic pallets

Prior to this initiative, SQM Litio used virgin plastic pallets imported from Asia, a logistics model with a high carbon footprint. This innovation is projected to result in a 30% reduction in logistics costs, 1.500 fewer tons of CO₂ emissions per year, and a more efficient and sustainable operation, aligned with the company's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality in all its products by 2030.

“This is a concrete example of how, from Chile, we can lead world-class solutions with environmental and economic impact. At SQM Litio, we are committed to integrating sustainability into every stage of our operations, and this project is part of a broader transformation that seeks to innovate, collaborate, and protect the planet with a cheaper and much more efficient model,” explained Germán Pérez, Supply Chain Manager at SQM Litio.

Strategic alliances

The project combines the experience of different organizations:

• Comberplast: knowledge in plastic injection.
• Rehrig Pacific Chile (RPC): logistics solutions and formwork.
• Tying up loose ends: recycling of raw materials and traceability of recovered plastic.

This alliance, with investment in technology and innovation, will optimize logistics operations, reducing waste and CO₂ emissions, while lowering production costs.

“This project enables the implementation of a large-scale circular economy, reducing a huge amount of CO₂ annually and recovering thousands of kilometers of material, transforming it into raw materials instead of waste. It's not just an environmental project, but a concrete example of what we can achieve when we combine purpose, innovation, and collaboration,” added Gina Ocqueteau, chairwoman of SQM's board of directors.

Tons of waste out of the environment

The initiative includes nearly 3,000 tons of waste that will be extracted from the environment and diverted from landfills.

The impact is equivalent to 84 million 500cc plastic bottles or 2,5 trips from Santiago to Antofagasta in kilometers of recovered rope.

“This type of project is a true circular economy, which motivates us every day to continue working. We are convinced that it is possible to do profitable business and generate a positive impact. We must dare to cross boundaries between industries to provide more sustainable solutions and generate a greater impact. We hope that other companies will join this path pioneered by SQM Litio and that together we can remove plastic from the environment and transform it into products useful for society,” said Michel Compagnon, co-founder of Atando Cabos.

Antonio Pardo, General Manager of Rehrig Pacific Chile, added: “This project marks a turning point in the way we approach operational logistics within the mining sector. We understand SQM Litio's commitment to sustainability and we share it; that's where our pallets come in. It's not just about replacing one type of pallet with another. It's about transforming waste into a resource, closing production cycles, and moving toward cleaner, smarter mining that's more aware of its impact.”

More Information

Learn about other SQM Litio initiatives that contribute to environmental care in our section. News.

Meet SQM Lithium

SQM Litio is a global company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Santiago Stock Exchange (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A). SQM develops and produces diverse products for several industries essential to human progress, such as health, nutrition, renewable energy, and technology, through innovation and technological advancement. Our goal is to maintain our global leadership position in the lithium, potassium nitrate, iodine, and salts markets.

Meet Atando Cabos

Atando Cabos is a cleantech company that has found a way to rid the world of plastic waste, ensuring that it never again returns to the environment by transforming it into high-value products with recycled materials and designations of origin. Thanks to Atando Cabos, it is now possible to offer products manufactured 100% with recycled materials and with an exact designation of origin.

Atando Cabos developed TRST, a technology that allows the positive impact of its work to be traced throughout the entire cycle: from the most remote location anywhere in the world to the final product, allowing the exact origin of each piece of plastic waste to be identified.

Meet Comberplast

Comberplast is part of a holding company constantly seeking solutions for its customers with cutting-edge technology. Founded 50 years ago, it has nearly 50 plastic injection lines and a capacity to recycle 600 tons of plastic per month. It manufactures products that have a positive impact on our environment by developing circular economy solutions for its customers.

Meet RPC

Rehrig Pacific is a family-owned company founded over 100 years ago and a leader in creating solutions and ideas for industries. Today, Rehrig Pacific Chile solves warehousing and logistics problems for companies in Chile and Latin America, developing specific solutions tailored to each need.