A recycling plan has been implemented at the Marlene Ahrens Olympic Training Centre ©COCH

The Chilean Olympic Committee (COCH) has launched a waste-management plan for its Olympic training centre, claimed to be a first-of-its-kind project in Latin America.

Waste at the Marlene Ahrens Olympic Training Centre in the Ñuñoa district of capital Santiago is now set to be reduced and recycling promoted.

The initiative was developed with zero-waste consulting firm Bzero.

Plastic, aluminum, glass, paper, cardboard and Tetra Pak sorting boxes have been installed on every floor of the building. 

Materials will then be taken to a recycling centre in the car park, which has been built with Olympic Solidarity funds.

The Chilean Olympic Committee is taken steps o promote sustainability ©Getty Images
The Chilean Olympic Committee is taken steps o promote sustainability ©Getty Images

"For the Chilean Olympic Committee it is very important to reinforce the environmental commitment acquired by the International Olympic Committee," COCH President Miguel Ángel Mujica said.

"We are proud to be pioneers in the region and take a step forward with concrete actions."

Training to manage this recycling scheme was first given to COCH officials and members of the Association of Olympic Athletes of Chile, with further guidance set to be given to all staff in the building, including from National Federations that operate from there.

From Saturday (October 1), the Marlene Ahrens Olympic Training Centre is to be smoke-free too.