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Yaxchibonam

Jul 13, 2009, 4:58 PM

Post #1 of 4 (8006 views)

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Trash pick up, littering, and recycling

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I'm curious about what people have observed and experienced about trash pick up, littering levels, and recycling opportunities in the Gulf states of Mexico. I'm interested not only in getting a preview of what to expect in Catemaco, where I am going, but what it's like in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco generally.
Yaxchi

raferguson

Jul 15, 2009, 7:51 AM

Post #2 of 4 (7960 views)

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Re: [Yaxchibonam] Trash pick up, littering, and recycling

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Trash pickup works pretty well, although often the sanitary landfills are not very sanitary. In general, Mexico has much higher levels of littering than almost anywhere in the USA. I remember seeing someone in the Catemaco area walking to the bus stop and just throwing a plastic bag of trash into the weeds! In some cases, families live at landfills to scavenge materials (recycle) from the trash, hardly a healthy environment. Cardboard boxes, for example, may be collected by someone to sell, as a way to make a living.

Note that some towns are more tidy than others. I recall Catemaco being relatively tidy.

One issue that you have not mentioned is water and sewage. Mexico's sewage treatment is often nonexistent or very poor, and the potable water system is generally unreliable and substandard. This is partly due to fees that many people and businesses never bother to pay, so the system is chronically underfunded.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

"El Gringo Jalapeño"

Jul 16, 2009, 6:01 PM

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Re: [raferguson] Trash pick up, littering, and recycling

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¡Hola, amigos costeños!
Richard...
Your observations about trash, sewage, etc. are very true. When I can, I seperate our garbage here in Xalapa as much as I can, just began compositing our organics only two weeks ago, so there is less smelly waste and I make less trash runs to the far corner of our street. The aluminum cans are a "tip" to the garbage collectors and we are also trying to keep the PET bottles, etc. so they can be more easily recycled by the guys sifting through everything on the garbage trucks.
Unfortunately very little sewage is treated here in Xalapa, but a very large plant was inaugurated about 3 months ago.
My Rotary Club has installed over 20 drinking fountains with purified water processors in 3 parks and many public schools. At least you can now drink safe and good tasting water which was not available before. When you come to Xalapa, look for the fountains at Parque Juárez and Parque Los Berros.
Well, got to go to a Rotary function for the new president of our club and new District 4190 govenor.
Please join our meeting every Wednesday at 9:30 PM at our Club at Av. Murrillo Vidal esq. Avenida Presidentes.
¡Hasta pronto!
Roy B. Dudley "El Gringo Jalapeño" See more about Xalapa at www.xalaparoy.com

tepetapan

Jul 17, 2009, 5:54 AM

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Re: [Yaxchibonam] Trash pick up, littering, and recycling

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Trash pick up is 2 times a week in Catemaco, daily along the Malecone and zocolo. The garbage truck comes down the street and stops at every house who have garbage to be picked up, about 2 pesos a garbage bag and commercial is paid monthly. In the heavy tourist areas of town the street sweepers are out 360 days a year and keep things very tidy. The residential areas are required by city law to have property owners keep the street in front of their property swept and clean...to the center of the street. it works well in our area and know of one man who was warned to get things in order, no trash was there... just sand and a bit of gravel. There are more than a few who on a near daily basis scrub the sidewalk with soap and water. many have said that Catemaco is one of the most clean towns they have visited in Mexico.
Aluminum cans is like was mentioned before, like a tip to the guys. I try to keep them seperate to make it easier. There have been attempts to start a plastic recycling program but like the town I lived in in the USA, until it is mandatory it never really works.
Littering is a problem that will not go away fast but steps have been taken in Veracruz state and maybe the country to educate the public. Anti-littering is taught in the grade schools, it will take time to get the point across.