WASTED! RESOURCE RECOVERY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT IN CUBA

The collection of solid waste and the recovery of recyclable material from waste are major challenges Cuba has been facing for many years. In this paper, we briefly sketch the actual waste situation and analyse the causes of the obvious deficiencies of the waste sector. We conducted a small survey in Havana city to assess people's awareness of the garbage problem, their appraisal of the actual situation and their willingness to contribute personally to an improvement of the waste situation. Based on the insights gained from this survey and from our theoretical analysis of the Cuban waste management we develop suggestions for an improvement of the waste situation in Cuba. These suggestions take into account that the financial means available to reform the waste management system in Cuba are severely restricted. Therefore, our suggestions are more focused on organisational and motivational changes than on the introduction of high technology.