In SDE, they demand regularity in garbage collection and solutions to improvised landfills

Santo Domingo.- Residents of the municipality of Santo Domingo Este are demanding the placement of more garbage containers and greater regularity in collection work, although they recognize that the City Council has been making efforts and progress in improving the service. This Tuesday morning, several containers in Ensanche Isabelita, Mendoza, and surrounding areas were overflowing with garbage, however, residents indicated that waste collection is being carried out daily or several days a week. "What we need is more containers to reduce the amount of trash outside of them," indicated a young man who preferred not to be identified. Another problem that affects them, despite the presence of containers, is the accumulation of garbage in improvised landfills. Mainly in the Mendoza sector, the community complains that cart drivers and the mentally ill are the main causes of this situation.

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"It affects us, we are tired of telling people, mostly the people who are begging, that they come and bring us garbage there because they are paid," said Melissa Martinez, whose residence on the main street of Mendoza is one of the most affected. "The trucks always pass, but the vicious, the crazy ones throw it there (the garbage), and others looking for copper untie the covers and spread it around. Let them look for other measures, because putting a container there is to provoke them to keep throwing garbage," said Álvaro Sandoval, while pointing out that this contamination directly affects students from the San José de Mendoza High School. Similarly, several merchants expressed how these dumps affect their sales and despite the multiple calls to the corresponding authorities, they still do not have a definitive solution. "Sometimes I can't even open because the trash reaches my door," said Carmen Blandino, owner of a shoe store. "Sales are plummeting and people don't want to buy because of the flies, we've already spoken to the president of the neighborhood association and the councilor and nobody is paying attention to us," said Reyes, the owner of a butcher shop.

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Some of the community members propose the presence of municipal police to guard the place and prevent wrongdoers from throwing garbage without consequences.