Partnership 2000

Tijuana Integrated Solid Waste Management Program

José Guadalupe Martínez, Assistant Director for Regional/Urban Planning and Environmental Protection, IMPLAN-Tijuana, Mexico
Paulino Luna, Waste Management Engineer, CIWMB, Sacramento, U.S.A.

Key Words: Tijuana’s residents, Tijuana’s solid waste, and Tijuana’s refuse collection systems.

This presentation speaks to Tijuana’s solid waste management practices and environmental infrastructure, with a broader objective of expanding the California-Baja California dialogue on technical assistance and information exchange with emphasis on solid waste management. This presentation also addresses Tijuana’s geographical and socioeconomic factors affecting solid waste management, and discusses how they influence local attitudes toward solid waste handling and recycling.

In preparing this IMPLAN-CIWMB presentation, the authors relied on field visits, literature review and their experience in working with Tijuana’s solid waste issues as part of their day-to-day activities.

During this presentation, the audience will understand that both Tijuana’s first solid waste ordinance and its supporting institutional framework were only formalized in July of 2000. The presenters discuss Tijuana’s population, geography and economy as a means to explain its solid waste discards and demands. In other words, why is it that locals generate less than 2.00 pounds of household discard per day? And, how does this impact existing solid waste infrastructure?

As this presentation progresses the speakers will describe Tijuana’s refuse collection systems. That is to say, are Tijuana’s refuse collection systems well defined? Are collection frequencies and collection routes well established? Is solid waste disposal in Tijuana offered only by public agencies? The speakers will briefly discuss Tijuana’s economy and solid waste management practices (i.e., landfilling vs. open dumping).

The speakers will discuss complaints regarding diseases potentially associated with mismanaged solid waste, and thereby address the public’s concerns about vectors or odor impacts arising from mishandled household wastes. The speakers will also highlight opportunities for IMPLAN-CIWMB cooperation in the areas of solid waste training and technical assistance.

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Last updated: December 05, 2009