Residents of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Demand Cleaner Streets

Various resident associations in Santa Cruz de Tenerife have expressed concerns regarding the cleanliness of different areas in the city. “The general opinion is that the capital could be much cleaner,” concluded the spokespersons.

Concerns Raised by Community Representatives

Lack of bins, fewer containers, reduced presence of cleaning staff, an increase in terraces and restaurants, as well as the growing number of holiday rentals, have led to rubbish accumulating inside and outside receptacles until collected. This situation results in liquids seeping onto the streets, unpleasant odours, and community discontent.

Spokespersons Jesús Triana, Silvia Barrera, Francisco Miranda, and Reynaldo González, representing the La Arboleda, El Perenquén, Residencial Anaga, and Las Ramblas associations respectively, have raised alarms over the municipality’s cleanliness, particularly in the city centre. According to statements gathered by Atlántico Hoy during an interview on RNE, “the city used to be much cleaner.” Comments like “our city deserves a deeper clean” and “Santa Cruz lacks proper care” reflect the opinions shared by community representatives who ironically noted that “when it rains, the cleanliness of the pavements is noticeable” while criticising that their complaints are overlooked by the relevant authorities.

Rising Population and Waste Generation

On another note, considering the local demographic, they argue that the pleasant climate and wide variety of commercial and culinary offerings attract “more and more people wanting to stroll and enjoy the area,” consequently leading to “an increase in waste.” However, they clarified that it is not a matter of having too many people but rather “a shortage of cleaning staff,” emphasising that there are no complaints about those currently working as they do what they can and are overwhelmed.

“It is necessary to revisit and analyse Santa Cruz’s needs and have some control over what is happening,” they stated. Additionally, they noted that one issue being observed is the lack of control over the number of terrace patrons and the disappearance of bins and waste containers in heavily populated streets.

Decline in Waste Management Facilities

Silvia Barrera remarked, “The city used to be beautiful and well-organised: a tree, a bench, a bin. Now they are removing everything,” lamenting the disappearance of waste collection containers from entire streets, which are now distanced from areas generating rubbish. She highlighted that “the recommended maximum distance is 100 metres to ensure accessibility.” “Rather than making plans to benefit businesses, there needs to be a discussion with resident associations,” Barrera pointed out, adding that the current disarray, the disappearance of waste receptacles, and lack of cleaning staff cannot simply be addressed by imposing fines on residents, ignoring that “there are increasingly more terraces and bars generating a significant amount of waste that is not even monitored.”

Waste and Nuisance Issues

The activity driven by the hospitality sector generates substantial waste, both in Santa Cruz and elsewhere. Regarding this, Francisco Miranda of the Residencial Anaga Association lamented that the transportation of rubbish from local bars to containers results in “continuous drips of liquids” saturating the ground, causing unpleasant smells “until it rains.” “This cannot continue; this is not normal,” he declared.

Reynaldo González from the Las Ramblas Association concluded that the public also bears significant responsibility for the cleanliness of Santa Cruz, emphasising that incivility should be penalised. “Littering is a crime. We are not an uncivil society, but the uncivil must be punished somehow.”

Municipal Cleanliness Regulations

The Municipal Cleanliness Ordinance requires those managing kiosks, bars, terraces, or stalls on public roads “to keep clean the space where they operate during their working hours and to leave it in the same state once finished.” Additionally, owners of cafés, bars, and similar establishments are obliged to provide their tables located in public areas with containers for disposing of waste, preventing litter from being blown onto public pathways by wind or other external factors.