Havana's Waste Crisis Deepens as Fuel Shortages Force Trash Burning

Fuel scarcity and reduced waste collection have left Havana’s streets strewn with garbage and open-air fires. With half the garbage trucks running, residents must choose between rotting trash and smoke inhalation.

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The U.S. oil embargo entered its fourth month in 2024, sharply cutting fuel imports. The shortage forced authorities to ration petrol, curtail waste-collection services and set up temporary disposal sites.

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Less than half the garbage trucks remain operational. The city has created 122 temporary waste sites, 24 of which use controlled incineration. The main landfill, El Bote del 100, holds 1.8 billion cubic feet of waste, while some neighborhoods now receive collection only once a month.

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Chef Carlos Blanco opened his bedroom window to a “mist” that he identified as smoke from a “smouldering mountain of rubbish.” Market vendor Yani Cabrera wears a mask as “white smoke” fills her shop, calling the situation “dangerous.” Resident Francisco Castillo says there is “no proper oversight and no collection,” creating “an epidemic of flies, rats, waste, and foul odours.”

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Municipal officials say 122 temporary collection points, including 24 controlled incinerators, aim to “mitigate risks to public health and urban order.” The Cuban Neuroscience Center warned that open burning releases toxic substances that can linger for years in the environment and the human body. In March, the government launched the “Cuba Recycles” campaign to expand recycling points and ease landfill pressure.

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Health professionals say the burning strategy creates new hazards. An anonymous doctor reported rising cases of gastrointestinal illness, hepatitis and respiratory problems, especially among children. Residents argue that uncontrolled fires emit “more perilous” pollutants than the designated incinerators.

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Particulate matter worsens asthma and other respiratory conditions. Stagnant water in discarded plastic promotes Aedes aegypti breeding, fueling a recent chikungunya outbreak. The Neuroscience Center cautioned that toxic compounds from waste fires may remain in the body for up to a decade.

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Authorities describe the incineration sites as “controlled,” yet eyewitnesses repeatedly observe informal fires. No independent air-quality monitoring data have been released, leaving the scale of toxic exposure uncertain.

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• “I saw a mist. But it wasn’t mist - it was smoke,” — Carlos Blanco, chef

‘Flies, rats, foul odours’ Cuba faces health crisis as US blockade rolls on

• “Since there is no proper oversight and no collection, the result is an epidemic of flies, rats, waste, and foul odours,” — Francisco Castillo, resident

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• “They are not ideal from an environmental standpoint, but they serve to mitigate risks to public health and urban order,” — Alexis Gonzalez Inclan, sanitation official

‘Flies, rats, foul odours’ Cuba faces health crisis as US blockade rolls on

• “I use this [mask] when there is a lot of smoke ... I’m worried because this is dangerous.” — Yani Cabrera, market vendor

‘Flies, rats, foul odours’ Cuba faces health crisis as US blockade rolls on

The rainy season (May-November) may boost mosquito breeding and flood waste sites. Authorities will continue the Cuba Recycles campaign while seeking longer-term solutions to restore regular waste collection and curb open burning.

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