Garbage collection worsens crisis in Havana

Solid waste continues to pile up in the streets and corners of Havana. The reasons for this growing phenomenon are many and no improvement is expected in the short term. Influencing factors include: lack of manpower, lack of spare parts for specialized equipment, and limited availability of fuel. Title a Report On Cuban television, the breakdown of solid waste collection equipment was acknowledged. “In fact, this is the main Achilles heel of our company,” said one of the administrators of communal services in the island’s capital.

Its director Onleo de Jesus Ojeda confirmed that more than 200 teams are now completely paralyzed. These include 63 collection trucks and 174 tipper trucks.

Spare parts without spare parts

Some of the spare parts that the company had were already used up and there was no way to replace them now. The situation is very critical with shortage of tires and batteries for vehicles. This phenomenon directly affects both the new donation trucks from Russia and the old ones.

Odalis Acosta, Director of the Provincial Institute of Communal Health, commented on the current crisis that Havana is experiencing in this regard. “We don’t have the parts we need for Jill trucks and Kamas trucks.”

Meanwhile, De Jesús Ojeda said, “The instability of the workforce has forced us to work with a significant number of inmates and admitted individuals. This is a major strength for us given the current instability and 68% staff completion.”

Official data reflect that, on average, only 68% of the waste generated by people and economic actors in Havana is collected daily. 4,000 to 5,000 cubic meters of garbage is left uncollected in the capital every day.