Havana waste collection project faces criticism over efficiency

The local development project ‘El Rampeño’ in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución municipality is facing scrutiny regarding its effectiveness in managing waste collection. While officials and project leaders, including Pedro Garcés, have promoted the initiative as a success, recent observations in the El Vedado neighborhood suggest significant operational gaps.

Reports indicate that workers were seen collecting trash by hand without basic tools like brooms or dustpans in the park at 19 and M streets. Despite the project’s use of 15 electric tricycles, 40 workers, and a solar-powered charging station, waste remains scattered in grass and around trees even after collection rounds.

Launched in July to address fuel shortages and deteriorating communal services, the project utilizes private capital and sustainable technology to service homes, markets, and tourist establishments like the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Residents have expressed frustration with the visible lack of efficiency and the manual methods used by collectors.