Crisis de basura en Durán: moradores queman desechos ante suspensión del servicio de recolección

The Durán canton is experiencing a health crisis due to the accumulation of garbage in streets and ditches, after the company Durán Limpio suspended collection services on June 24th, citing a municipal debt exceeding $9 million and the resulting inability to collect the 280 tons of garbage generated daily by the canton. Residents of the fifth phase of La Ciudadela El Recreo have resorted to burning the waste to try to eliminate the stench and the proliferation of flies, rats, and worms, while other residents hire people with tricycles to remove the garbage, who then dump it in nearby ditches and canals. A resident of the area denounced the unbearable situation and said that the mayor "is doing nothing," while the municipality declared an institutional emergency to expedite the contracting of a new service and seek resources to pay off the debt. The Provincial Government has collaborated with personnel and equipment, but they are only able to collect between 30 and 50 tons daily, insufficient to meet the canton's demand.