They denounce the lack of containers in Arrecife: "We take absurd walks looking for a place to leave the trash"

Residents of Arrecife have contacted La Voz to report the lack of containers, which is causing a large accumulation of garbage bags on different streets of the capital.

"We live in a municipality that boasts about its landscape, its sustainability, and an almost sacred respect for the environment. However, for many residents of Arrecife, the real daily "adventure sport" is not climbing a volcano to take photos, but managing to throw away the garbage bag," they state.

According to them, in recent months, the containers on the streets of the capital "have been disappearing progressively." The official excuses are already known by heart: that the works in the area require them to be moved, that arsonists have burned some units... The real problem is what comes next. Once a container is removed due to works or a fire, it rarely returns to its place nor is an alternative sought nearby. Simply put, the collection point is eliminated from the map and the administration disengages from the area, leaving the streets without service indefinitely."

"This lack of planning forces people to take absurd walks around the neighborhood looking for a place to leave their garbage; a journey that, in many parts of the city, can exceed ten minutes round trip. To make matters worse, when a container is finally found standing, the scene is pitiful: they are usually overflowing and with mountains of bags accumulated on the sidewalk that block the passage for pedestrians," they criticize.

In this regard, they point out that "we pay a garbage tax to have a basic service, not to have to dodge bags and dirt on the ground."

"The works end and vandalism is combated with surveillance, not by cutting basic services to citizens. It is time for the Arrecife City Council to stop looking the other way, assume its responsibility, and replace the missing containers. The cleanliness of a city is not demonstrated with speeches about the environment, but by ensuring that no one has to take a kilometer-long walk to keep their street clean," they conclude.