News about Bolivia

Etson Machaca, a farmer in Bolivia's Altiplano, built a plant that converts plastic bags, rubber and old oil into pyrolysis oil, a fuel that mimics diesel and runs his farm equipment and vehicles. The process heats waste without oxygen and reportedly yields about three-quarters of its mass as usable fuel, though the article notes the science is still developing and the plant is small-scale. Diesel in Bolivia is largely imported and costs about $5.83 per U.S. gallon, while his fuel is estimated at $2.27 to $3.25 per gallon, roughly half the price. Machaca does not sell the fuel, and the article links his initiative to Bolivia's recent removal of its diesel subsidy.