Working with waste in Latin America

ILEIA Newsletter • 10 nº 4 • December 1994

Working with waste in Latin America

Julio Prudencio Bohrt

The metropolitan areas in the Third World generate almost 25 pounds of waste per person per day. At present rates of urban growth, Latin American cities would produce 370,000 metric tonnes per day by the end of this century, 80% more than now. At present, only 60% of waste is collected and less than half of this is disposed of without harm to the environment (CampbeIl1989), to say nothing of using its potentials for producing and improving the urban surroundings. Recently, however, waste recycling has increased in several Latin American cities. As informal activities, these are carried out mainly by women and youths. There are also the beginnings of concerted efforts by nongovernmental and community organisations and even some government institutions to promote the recycling of wastes for productive purposes.

For example, in Lima, Peru, the AL TERNA TIV A project has helped to create micro-enterprises (each with 4-8 people) to collect rubbish for recycling through a special agreement with municipal authorities. Despite problems related to political interests, among others, these enterprises appear to be economically feasible and plan to expand into making compost. In Brazil, municipal governments recognise their inability to collect all the rubbish generated in the cities. This has resulted in joint action by municipalities, NGOs and local organisations in waste recycling, as well as in solving other urban problems. The case of POLIS is a good example of coordinated work at municipal level with local organisations (Caccia B & Mullahy 1994}. In Bogota, Colombia, the government is likewise unable to collect all the city rubbish but, in this case, has given the task to private firms.

These firms share their right to collect rubbish with the cartoneros, the thousands of carton collectors, including many children, who work and sleep in the streets. The cartoneros constantly move around the city, collecting waste which they can sell. This is an economy of harvesting and extraction essentially for economic and social reasons, but without a vision of ecologically-sound development. Water treatment for urban agriculture is little developed thus far in Latin American cities. However, in Lima, Peru, in collaboration with municipality, CEPIS (Panamerican Centre for Health Engineering and Environmental Sciences} is experimenting with treating water around San Juan de Miraflores using a natural process (stabilizations lakes}. The treated water is used to irrigate large forest areas and periurban maize fields, as well as in an aquaculture project.

The tilapia fish are very productive and in high demand in the principal markets of Lima. Because of the low production costs involved, sales of these fish compete strongly with shell fish and sea fish. In most Latin American cities, however, there is still a lack of clear policies related to the management of waste and treated water for use in urban agriculture. There is a great need for better interaction and coordination of activities between municipal governments, NGOs, private institutions of social development and people's organisations.

Julio Prudencio Bohrt, Casilla 6254, La Paz, Bolivia