A video shared on social media this past Saturday highlights a distressing scene in Havana: a woman and a man rummaging through an overflowing dumpster on a street surrounded by dilapidated buildings and piles of uncollected trash.
"It's heartbreaking to witness this in Cuba, with so many diseases and people searching through garbage. It breaks the soul," wrote Liena López Delgado, who posted the footage on her Facebook profile.
This grim scene is a symptom of Havana’s ongoing waste collection crisis. At the start of the year, only 44 out of 106 garbage trucks in the city were operational, representing a mere 41% of the fleet. Meanwhile, the city generates between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste daily, much of which remains uncollected.
Health Concerns Rise as Waste Piles Up
The buildup of garbage is not just an urban eyesore. The Global Dengue Observatory (GDO) of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has recorded 7,133 dengue cases in Cuba this year, a staggering 7.4 times higher than anticipated for this period.
Additionally, the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) recently acknowledged a surge in dengue, diarrhea, and other illnesses throughout the country.
Desperation Drives People to Dumpster Dive
Scenes of individuals searching through waste are becoming increasingly common. In April, a man was spotted eating from a trash bin in Santiago de Cuba, while another video recorded in Centro Habana showed elderly people, children, and adults collecting onions from a dump.
In May, Havana resident Basilio Plasencia confessed to scavenging for food and items in garbage dumps. He revealed that he had eaten bread found among the trash and faced fines of up to 10,000 pesos for his actions.
Trash as a Source of Livelihood
For some, necessity has turned waste into a source of income. In June, a Telemundo 51 report documented a street vendor in Havana selling items salvaged from the trash, acknowledging that nearly everything he offered came from refuse.
The decline in living standards is further highlighted in the IX Study by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, published in August based on 1,318 interviews conducted across the country's 15 provinces.
The report concluded that 94% of respondents live in extreme poverty, with eight out of ten people having to skip meals due to lack of money or food.
In this context, what may seem like an everyday scene of people scavenging through garbage is no longer just an isolated snapshot of urban decay. It stands as further evidence of a social crisis where waste can represent a source of food, reusable items, or income for some families.
Impact of Cuba's Waste Crisis on Public Health
What is causing the waste collection crisis in Havana?
The waste collection crisis in Havana is primarily due to the limited operational capacity of garbage trucks. At the start of the year, only 44 out of 106 trucks were functional, resulting in a significant amount of uncollected waste.
How is the waste accumulation affecting public health in Cuba?
The accumulation of waste is exacerbating public health issues in Cuba, with the Global Dengue Observatory reporting a substantial increase in dengue cases. The Ministry of Public Health has also reported rising incidences of dengue, diarrhea, and other diseases.
How are people in Cuba coping with the economic crisis?
Many Cubans are turning to scavenging in trash for food, reusable items, or to sell goods for income. This reflects the extreme poverty conditions, as highlighted by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, with many citizens unable to afford basic necessities.