The presence of garbage is a constant feature in Cuba's urban environment. Four decades ago, in the heart of Havana, citizens began raising concerns about the increasing number of micro-dumps, a problem that has since spread across the entire nation. A 1980 clip from an ICAIC newsreel captures the public's grievances regarding this issue in Havana. Residents pointed fingers at each other, blamed the CDR or the district delegate, yet the true culprit—the entity responsible for waste collection—remained unacknowledged.
In the years following the Revolution, the socialist territorial planning erased commercial activities from street corners, turning them into empty spaces devoid of social interaction, gradually filling with rubble and trash. The state-managed garbage collection system has been failing for decades, plagued by broken trucks, fuel shortages, and outdated equipment, which have all contributed to this ongoing crisis.
The situation has escalated to the extent that urban trees have vanished in many areas, replaced by piles of garbage that accumulate undisturbed in flowerbeds. The sheer size of urban dumps in Cuba fosters epidemics, and communities witness a rampant spread of pests such as rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes at any time of day.
Garbage has become a structural chaos in Cuba's landscapes, no longer confined to the capital. Although Havana tops the charts for unsanitary conditions, with neighborhoods cut off by heaps of waste in their streets, this is a nationwide issue. This bleak scenario is solely the state's responsibility, stemming from decades of poor management of solid waste and neglect in critical sanitation and urban planning functions.
Understanding Cuba's Waste Management Crisis
What initiated the waste crisis in Cuba's urban landscapes?
The waste crisis began in the 1980s with the rise of micro-dumps in Havana's center, due to poor state management and ineffective waste collection systems.
How did the socialist territorial planning contribute to the garbage issue?
The socialist planning eliminated commercial use of street corners, leaving these areas empty and prone to becoming dumping grounds for debris and waste.
What are the health risks associated with large urban dumps in Cuba?
The extensive dumps lead to epidemics and the spread of pests like rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes, posing significant health risks to communities.