Residents of Garachico from the districts of Genovés, San Juan del Reparo, La Montañeta, and Lomo Alto have expressed their frustration, stating that the waste containers “have been overflowing with rubbish for a week” and some even contain “worms,” posing a public health issue in these areas. “This is not something that happens in just two or three days,” remarked several individuals affected.
Several weeks ago, the Garachico-El Tanque Commonwealth ceased its Organic Waste Collection service. A temporary company had previously been managing this service until the Town Hall delegated the task to Gesplan for a duration of six months while a permanent solution is being developed.
Last Friday, Mayor José Heriberto González took to social media to request that residents minimise their waste disposal, as there were to be at least three days without collection due to the transition between the temporary service and Gesplan.
The collection resumed on Wednesday, operating from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in a phased manner, allowing the workers to familiarise themselves with the streets in the area, ensuring a smooth service can be implemented from the following week. During these two days, collection occurred in the majority of the town, including Los Reyes as well as areas lower down the Volcano, such as Guincho, San Pedro, Las Cruces, La Caleta, and along the San Pedro highway, as he confirmed.
The Vigía Neighbourhood Platform attributes the issue to “the negligence of the Town Hall” and is concerned about its potential impact on the local population. Consequently, they have lodged a complaint with the General Directorate of Public Health of the Canary Islands Government to address the “widespread” unease among residents.
