Abstract
The collection of solid waste and the recovery of recyclable material from waste are major challenges Cuba has been facing for many years. In this paper, we briefly sketch the actual waste situation and analyse the causes of the obvious deficiencies of the waste sector. We conducted a small survey in Havana city to assess people's awareness of the garbage problem, their appraisal of the actual situation and their willingness to contribute personally to an improvement of the waste situation. Based on the insights gained from this survey and from our theoretical analysis of the Cuban waste management we develop suggestions for an improvement of the waste situation in Cuba. These suggestions take into account that the financial means available to reform the waste management system in Cuba are severely restricted. Therefore, our suggestions are more focused on organisational and motivational changes than on the introduction of high technology.
Highlights
Waste in Havana – first impressionsVisitors to Havana are surprised to find huge heaps of garbage at many street corners in the residential areas outside the city and in its Historic Centre
We presented the results of a small survey we conducted in the city of Havana
In the theoretical part of our paper, we analyzed the structure of the Cuban waste management system and tried to identify the sources of its deficiencies
Summary
Visitors to Havana are surprised to find huge heaps of garbage at many street corners in the residential areas outside the city and in its Historic Centre. While for them the obvious deficiencies in garbage collection constitute only a minor aesthetical impairment of an otherwise beautiful city, things are much more serious for the permanent residents of Havana. Waste is accumulating in most streets over two weeks and more before it is collected by the Municipal Communal Services Administration, the so-called "communales". This leads to major sanitary problems since various kinds of animals like rats or mosquitos settle down in the waste. The health of the population is impaired by contagious diseases caused by the deficient waste management (cf. Louro 2013)
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