Residents of Garachico from the areas of Genovés, San Juan del Reparo, La Montañeta, and Lomo Alto express concerns that the bins “have been overflowing with rubbish for a week,” with some reportedly “teeming with worms,” thus posing a health risk in these neighbourhoods.
Several weeks prior, the company servicing the Garachico-El Tanque Commonwealth halted the Organic Waste Collection service. This service, which was temporarily managed by another firm, was subsequently assigned to Gesplan for a period of six months by the City Council while efforts are made to establish a permanent solution. Last Friday, the mayor, José Heriberto González, appealed via social media for residents to minimise the amount of waste they disposed of, as there would be at least a three-day gap in collection between the end of the provisional service and the onset of Gesplan’s operations.
The collection commenced on Wednesday and will take place from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., gradually, to help workers acclimatise to the streets of the municipality, ensuring that the service can be delivered seamlessly beginning next week. Over these two days, collection was conducted in the majority of the town, covering areas such as Los Reyes and the lower part of the Volcano, Guincho, San Pedro, Las Cruces, La Caleta, and along the San Pedro highway, as per confirmations.
The Vigía Neighbourhood Platform argues that the issue results from “the negligence of the City Council” and are apprehensive about its potential impact on public health, prompting them to file a complaint with the General Directorate of Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, urging action on the “widespread” concerns of the local populace.
