Trash Pickup

ReyP wrote:

The government of Guayanilla is proposing selling trash bags 30 Gallon ones) at $2 dollars each. They would have a bar code to ensure that the bags are authorized.

Other towns may decide to emulate them due to the simplicity of the process.

If not an official bag from the town, the trash will not be picked up. No word yet on what they plan to do about large items and household items. No word yet about what they plan to do about households that can not afford it or that use regular bags and the stuff is just piling up because it is not being picked up.

I do not know about you but to me it sounds rather expensive and there seem to be no options for smaller bags. So I assume you would use small regular bags for daily stuff and then put them in the 30 gallon one for pickup.

Not yet a done deal but targeting July 1st for implementation at the moment.

Other towns may follow.

I can see trash piling up. Not a good situation.

This could be messy!

This is already implemented in Cabo Rojo.

They are ony charging for trash, if you recicle, they are providing pick up free of charge for all recicle items.
The plan is to charge $2/30gal trash bag, $5 for a label if you want to use your own bags. All recicle items are pick up for free. No definitive date to start since they are working onthe details.

Most municipalities are exploring some type of change for trash pick up. Since they're not going to get money from the central government starting July.

adlin20, That's what it sounded like to me. A way to cover expenses. $5 a label vs $2 for the bag.. Curious how many labels they'll sell... Now, $5 and I could put it on a barrel. That makes sense.

Can you folks drive to the dump yourself? Here it's my Saturday morning chore..

Do they have any landfills in Puerto Rico that you can just bring things and pay per load?

Spencerazac wrote:

Do they have any landfills in Puerto Rico that you can just bring things and pay per load?

Hoping you don't have to pay.. But then again, they are struggling..

Spencerazac wrote:

Do they have any landfills in Puerto Rico that you can just bring things and pay per load?

We can go to the Juncos municipal landfill and dump anything free of charge - you have to show a driver's license which says you live in Juncos. I haven't heard yet of having to pay for trash pickup but if that is going to be the case I'm sure out here in the boonies we'll have private landfills all over the place..

Not every town have a landfill, for example, if you live in Peñuelas, you can bring your trash there free of charge. Other towns around them use their landfill for a fee. Most towns expend 20-40% of their budgets in trash collection, most folks don't want to recicle, increasing the cost since the more trash they bring to the landfill, the more expensive it is. This in part will force people to recicle. If you can recicle 80% of you trash, you will expend less.

Personally, I agree with the change as long as it improves the system and the money is used for what's designed. If you can go and buy a box of cigarettes and have money to go and party every weekend, a couple of bucks won't make a difference. Most services that were taken for granted and free and going to cost now. The municipalities are loosing part of their budget from the central government. They have to make it somehow and as always the citizens will fork out the bill.

I took a truck load to the dump in Arecibo,  a long haul, charged me 10$, a mess to deal with.

Most of the dumps are out of compliance.

Gary wrote:

I'm sure out here in the boonies we'll have private landfills all over the place..

Yea the neighbors yard, 

I have no issue with recycling until they get real picky.
1) not that type of bottle and must be washed
2) this plastic but not this other one
3) yes we accept cardboard but not with food stains
4) styrofoam from food containers is fine as long as it it washed
5) Cans have to be washed

I spend a lot of time and money in water, washing the stuff so they can have free raw materials that they can process and sell at a profit.

Sorry I tried being good for a while but if they are going to be that fricking picky, I am going to put it in the regular trash bag. SO I recycle little in MA. Guilty!

Gotta check the fence in the back. Haven't been there in a while..

I'd welcome recycling.  Having lived in Germany where it was obligatory I was so used to it that I had a hard time throwing everything in one trash can.
Not sure if Juncos is doing anything in that respect, at least they don't collect anything else than "normal" trash out here.

Recycling is often much more expensive than simply throwing the item away.  As Rey notes, the process is labor-intensive, and if the consumer doesn't perform the labor (cleaning, sorting, etc.) then the municipality will have to pay people to do those jobs.  My understanding it that the municipalities lack the money to pay for recycling, and they lack the space for landfills. 

If there is a silver lining to the emigration of Puerto Ricans from the island, it may be that there will be less trash for the landfills!

We recycle and take it to a center in Palmer. I can't see selling bags making any kind of improvement to the trash on the sides of the road and in parking lots.

Now if the municipalities PAID for trash by the pound, and were reimbursed by the island's Tourism Company, I bet the streets would be as clean as abuela's kitchen, and maybe smell like Fabuloso too. They would find a way to get that trash to the dump.

Gary wrote:

I'd welcome recycling.  Having lived in Germany where it was obligatory I was so used to it that I had a hard time throwing everything in one trash can.
Not sure if Juncos is doing anything in that respect, at least they don't collect anything else than "normal" trash out here.

I am German, living in Mayagüez. Just got back from 6 weeks  holidays there. I have rarely seen trash on the streets etc. and was right away back into recycling.

Cabo will be doing the exact same thing down to the color and also seemed VERY expensive.  Mayor said we have to protect the landfills. I haven't connected the dots.

A bit of an uproar there 3 weeks ago, a woman brought her garbage to city hall and left it at the mayor's front desk, told the receptionist if you won't pick it up, I'll bring it. Caused a stir, mayor Bobby said don't anyone else do this, or else, jjjj.

I have a friend who is working with tha landfills... puerto rico is up to its ears in garbage with nowhere to put it. I paid for trash pickup in CA and it was expensive. As long as I can recycle for free, I think it's a great idea. But, in reality, it will mean more trash on our beautiful beaches and mountains.

suzanne12345 wrote:

I have a friend who is working with tha landfills... puerto rico is up to its ears in garbage with nowhere to put it. I paid for trash pickup in CA and it was expensive. As long as I can recycle for free, I think it's a great idea. But, in reality, it will mean more trash on our beautiful beaches and mountains.

So doesn't the trash get burned here like anywhere in the world?

Marion-Olga wrote:

suzanne12345 wrote:

I have a friend who is working with tha landfills... puerto rico is up to its ears in garbage with nowhere to put it. I paid for trash pickup in CA and it was expensive. As long as I can recycle for free, I think it's a great idea. But, in reality, it will mean more trash on our beautiful beaches and mountains.

So doesn't the trash get burned here like anywhere in the world?

No, most of the trash goes to landfills. There is a trash burning project I think in Aguadilla, but the town does not want it.

Most landfills are also not in compliance and are getting fines, some are being closed.