Cuba faces systemic waste management and sanitation challenges

Cuba is facing significant challenges with waste management and urban sanitation. In Havana's Old Havana district, specifically on Obrapía Street, trash reappeared only two hours after a cleaning operation involving the Office of the Historian of Havana and local entities. Perla Rosales Aguirreurreta, deputy director of the Office of the Historian, described the situation as a “carrera de resistencia” (race of resistance), noting that despite cleaning efforts, debris quickly accumulates again.

The sanitation crisis is exacerbated by systemic shortages in the capital. Havana generates between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste daily, yet only 44 of the 106 available collection trucks are operational. Furthermore, the city possesses approximately 10,000 containers, significantly fewer than the 20,000 to 30,000 required.

In Matanzas, heavy rainfall has highlighted the issue by washing accumulated street waste into drainage systems, rivers, and eventually the bay. This process moves urban litter from city streets into marine environments, creating long-term accumulation issues for local ecosystems and fishing communities.