Costa Rica News – The company that’s responsible for treating the solid waste in Perez Zeledon does not actually have permission from the Ministry of Health to do so, as they are certified as a wastewater treatment center.
The Municipality, however, made an agreement with JEM Environmental Solutions in the Juntas de Pacuar community. They have paid 40 million colones to rent the plant for trash treatment, even though it doesn’t have the appropriate permits.
This strange agreement follows delays in the construction of a landfill. The only alternative would be to leave the garbage in the streets. Mayor Vera Corrales said, “In the canton there is no place for this type of activity. In an extraordinary way, we found this place, with a roof, with a concrete floor, where you can treat trash in a way that meets the minimum requirements.”
The Ministry of Health is aware of the situation, but allows it, since the canton’s landfill is not available and they have to collect 70 tons of trash per day, from some 135,000 inhabitants. The health officials say there is no health risk to using this facility.
“This whole process has been understood by the Ministry of Health as a temporary process, as the City works to build a landfill,” said Gustavo Rodriguez, Director of Health in Perez Zeledon.
