Isla Mujeres, Q.R. — More than 280 tons of waste has been removed from the island with more to go as the government works to clean the landfill. The garbage, which is an eyesore to islanders, is being transferred to the Continental Zone of Isla Mujeres by the semi-truck-load.
Pedro Canché, director of municipal Public Services of Isla Mujeres said that as of Thursday, at least 280 tons of waste was removed from the island onto the municipality’s mainland in a bid to clean the island. That, in addition to the 500 removed Sunday.
“For the current administration, it is essential to promote the cleaning of the municipality, seeking the good image that characterizes it and also seeking to avoid an ecological impact. The goal is to remove all the garbage accumulated in the unit, and we hope that in the next few days it will be achieved, of course, without neglecting the daily collection in the neighborhoods,” he explained.
The removal of the mass of collected garbage has been a long-standing problem for the island due to foul smells of the open air dump. In a recent government meeting between city council and the Comprehensive Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo), an agreement was made that would see the heaping mound of trash removed from the island.
The general director of Apiqroo, Alicia Ricalde Magaña, explained that the agreement included Ultramar donating trips last Sunday that saw the removal of approximately 500 tons of waste. The Tipper’s Union also donated trucks to be used for the garbage transfers.
Servando Guzmán, leader of the CTM dump trucks said that 12 vehicles were requested last Sunday to make the trips being donated by Ultramar. Fuel was paid for upfront by the union and the men, given their usual salary.
Ricalde Magaña explained that both the ferries and the trucks are only requiring the payment of fuel, for which a special fund is being generated to cover those expenses.
