Placencia Garbage Crisis Raises Public Health Concerns

The Placencia Village Council is warning that ongoing garbage-collection challenges are quickly escalating into a wider public-health and infrastructure concern, as deteriorating conditions at the village dump continue to disrupt essential services. In a statement issued this week, the Placencia Village Council says the road leading to the Placencia dump has deteriorated so badly that garbage trucks are frequently getting stuck, sometimes for hours at a time. The Council says these delays disrupt collection schedules and increase fuel, labor, and mechanical costs, straining an already limited budget. The Council also reports that the dump itself is now overflowing, with no access to the heavy equipment needed to properly manage or compact waste. Vincent Budna, Manager at Belize Waste Management Placencia says the conditions at the dump and the access road are making it increasingly difficult to carry out even basic garbage collection. According to Budna, the situation is made worse by the lack of heavy machinery at the dump site. He further stated that the greatest challenge is the absence of meaningful assistance from agencies tasked with waste management, leaving the village to shoulder costs it cannot sustain. 

Budna further stated that without equipment to spread or compact waste, garbage continues to pile up, creating unsanitary conditions that could soon affect residents and visitors alike. The Council warns that continued delays in garbage collection could soon become a public-health issue, noting that accumulated waste attracts pests, produces foul odors, and poses risks that may require intervention from the Ministry of Health and Wellness. With Placencia now entering the height of the tourism season, the Council also cautions that unmanaged waste could negatively impact the village’s image and Belize’s tourism product. The PVC says it may be forced to take interim measures, including depositing garbage along the roadside at the entrance of the dump, should assistance not be forthcoming. Love News reached out to the Ministry of Local Government, which has offered assurance that the matter is being addressed and that discussions are ongoing with the Chairperson of the Placencia Village Council. We also understand that the Ministry of Infrastructure Development will be providing equipment to assist with the issue. We will keep following this situation./