Narayan AmmachchiA worsening fuel shortage is reportedly triggering a public sanitation crisis in Havana, as uncollected garbage piles up across neighborhoods and heightens pollution risks.
Severe shortages of petrol and diesel have left much of the municipal fleet immobilized. Of the city’s 106 garbage trucks, only 44 remain operational—far too few to serve a population of more than two million. As a result, waste is accumulating outside homes and at major collection points.
Plastic bags, food scraps, cardboard boxes and bottles now line several streets. In some areas, residents sift through the debris to salvage materials they can reuse or sell, underscoring the depth of the crisis.
“It’s impossible to walk without dodging piles of garbage. The truck hasn’t come by for days,” Spanish news outlet Infobae quoted a Havana resident as saying.
The situation extends beyond the capital. Reports from other provinces describe similar scenes, with residents warning of mounting health risks linked to prolonged waste accumulation. Shortages of food and medicine have also been reported.
Authorities have imposed strict fuel rationing, prioritizing hospitals and strategic facilities while curbing supplies for transportation and sanitation services. The strain is evident across essential sectors. According to Infobae, long queues have formed for fuel purchases, with some people waiting weeks for access. Others have turned to the black market, where prices reportedly reach as high as six dollars per liter.
Add comment