Report on Costa Rica’s Solid Waste Management Crisis and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Costa Rica is confronting a severe solid waste management crisis, characterized by institutional inaction and regulatory non-compliance. The nation generates over 4,000 tons of solid waste daily, with an estimated 80% being suitable for recycling or reuse. The failure to manage this waste effectively poses a direct threat to public health and environmental integrity, undermining the country’s progress toward several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Analysis of Municipal Non-Compliance and its Impact on Sustainable Development

Failure to Uphold SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The foundation of the current crisis lies in the widespread failure of municipalities to adhere to national regulations. Law 8839 on Comprehensive Waste Management, enacted in 2010, mandates that all municipalities develop and execute cantonal waste management plans. This legislation directly supports the objectives of SDG 11, particularly Target 11.6, which calls for reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities through effective waste management.

• Municipalities are legally required to promote waste prevention, recycling, and proper final disposal.
• Required actions include investing in environmental education, establishing waste recovery centers, and implementing separate waste collection systems.
• The majority of municipalities have failed to implement these legally mandated measures, leading to unmanaged waste accumulation and environmental degradation within communities.

Neglecting SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The fact that an estimated 80% of the country’s daily waste could be diverted from landfills highlights a significant missed opportunity to advance SDG 12. The lack of recycling and reuse infrastructure directly contravenes Target 12.5, which aims to substantially reduce waste generation by 2030.

1. Waste Generation: Over 4,000 tons of solid waste are produced each day.
2. Recycling Potential: Approximately 3,200 tons of this daily waste is recyclable or reusable.
3. Systemic Failure: The absence of robust collection and processing systems means this potential is largely unrealized, contributing to the overburdening of landfills.

Threats to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The Ministry of Health has identified the crisis as a direct threat to public health. Improper waste disposal can lead to the proliferation of disease vectors, contamination of water sources, and other public health hazards, compromising the core principles of SDG 3. The Ministry has emphasized that municipal inaction is not merely a legal violation but a direct endangerment of the population’s well-being.

Institutional Response and Governance Challenges

Regulatory Framework and Enforcement Gaps (SDG 16)

The crisis underscores a critical challenge to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Despite a clear legal framework, a gap in enforcement and accountability has allowed for decades of non-compliance. The Ministry of Health’s recent interventions represent an effort to reinforce institutional authority and uphold the rule of law.

• Law 8839 (2010): Established municipal responsibility for comprehensive waste management.
• Decree 44.947: A recent mandate issued to localize waste management by requiring disposal within the region of generation and setting a maximum transport distance of 80 kilometers.
• Governance Failure: The Minister of Health, Mary Munive, has stated that the emergency is the result of “more than twenty years of municipal neglect,” highlighting a long-term failure of local governance. Municipalities have cited outdated regional boundaries as a reason for non-compliance, an argument the Ministry has rejected.

The Call for Inter-Municipal Collaboration (SDG 17)

For over two decades, since the closure of the Río Azul landfill, experts have advocated for regionalized solutions, a strategy that aligns with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The creation of the Aczarri Environmental Technology Park (PTA) was an attempt at an inter-municipal partnership to create a technically sound disposal facility. However, resistance from many municipalities to engage in such collaborative models has led to suboptimal outcomes, such as the severe overburdening of the El Huazo landfill, which now serves 35 municipalities instead of the five for which it was designed.

Conclusion: An Urgent Call for SDG-Aligned Action

The solid waste situation in Costa Rica has escalated to a national emergency, rooted in a systemic failure to implement sustainable waste management practices. This is not simply an environmental issue but a crisis of governance, public health, and sustainable development. Achieving a viable long-term solution requires immediate and unwavering municipal compliance with national law. Fulfilling the mandates of Law 8839 and Decree 44.947 is essential for protecting citizens and aligning the nation’s development trajectory with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article directly connects the solid waste crisis to threats against public health. The Ministry of Health’s central role, its warnings of a “national emergency,” and its mandate to “protect public health” highlight the relevance of this goal. The failure to manage waste properly is presented as a direct cause of health risks for the population.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The core issue discussed is municipal solid waste management, a key component of sustainable urban living. The article focuses on the failure of municipalities to implement waste management plans, the overburdening of landfills like El Huazo, and the need for sustainable solutions within and between cities (cantons).

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• This goal is addressed through the article’s emphasis on waste reduction and management. It states that “80% of which could be recycled or reused” and references Law 8839, which requires municipalities to promote “waste prevention, recycling, and proper final disposal.” This points to a need for more sustainable production and consumption patterns that generate less waste.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article extensively details institutional failures. It describes “widespread regulatory failure,” “institutional inaction,” “legal noncompliance,” and the evasion of responsibility by municipalities. The explicit mention that “the majority have failed” to comply with Law 8839 points to a weakness in effective and accountable governance at the local level.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The concept of “regionalization,” where multiple municipalities collaborate on shared waste treatment facilities like the Aczarri Environmental Technology Park, is a clear example of partnerships. The article highlights that the crisis was exacerbated because “many municipalities refused to engage with regional models,” indicating a failure to form the necessary partnerships for a sustainable solution.

Identified SDG Targets

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
   • The article supports this by highlighting the Ministry of Health’s concern that the failure in waste management “directly threatens public health.” Improperly managed waste leads to soil and water contamination, which are key contributors to illnesses as described in this target.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   • This target is central to the article. The entire text revolves around the crisis caused by the failure of “municipal waste management.” The generation of “4,000 tons of solid waste each day” and the overburdening of landfills are direct measures of the adverse environmental impact of cities.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

1. Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
   • The article discusses the need for “proper final disposal” and the “environmental burden” caused by waste. The crisis stems from a failure to achieve environmentally sound management, leading to the negative impacts on health and the environment that this target aims to prevent.
2. Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
   • The article explicitly mentions that Law 8839 requires municipalities to “promote waste prevention, recycling, and proper final disposal.” Furthermore, it quantifies the potential for waste reduction by stating that an “estimated 80% of which could be recycled or reused.”

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The article’s narrative is a case study of the failure to meet this target. Phrases like “decades of neglect, legal noncompliance, and evasion of responsibility” and the Minister’s statement that the emergency is a “result of more than twenty years of municipal neglect” directly point to a lack of effective and accountable local institutions.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships.
   • The article implies the need for this target at a national and local level. The proposed solution of “regionalization” and the creation of the “intermunicipal solution” at the Aczarri Environmental Technology Park are examples of such partnerships. The crisis is deepened by the fact that “many municipalities refused to engage with regional models.”

Implied or Mentioned Indicators

Target 11.6 & 12.4: Municipal Waste Management

• Total waste generated: The article states Costa Rica “generates more than 4,000 tons of solid waste each day.”
• Waste management capacity vs. load: The El Huazo landfill was intended for five municipalities and 675 tons daily but is now receiving waste from 35 municipalities and handling 2,600 tons daily. This serves as an indicator of systemic failure in waste management.
• Proportion of waste properly managed: It is implied that this proportion is low, as the article states “much of this waste ends up accumulating without proper management.”

Target 12.5: Waste Reduction and Recycling

• Recycling potential: The article provides a key data point that can serve as a benchmark indicator: “an estimated 80% of [solid waste] could be recycled or reused.”
• Availability of recycling infrastructure: The failure to create “waste recovery centers” and implement “systems for separate waste collection” as required by law serves as a qualitative indicator of a low recycling rate.

Target 16.6: Institutional Accountability

• Compliance with national laws: An indicator is the number of municipalities that have failed to comply with Law 8839. The article states “the majority have failed to do so,” indicating widespread non-compliance.

Target 17.16: Inter-municipal Partnerships

• Participation in regional solutions: An indicator is the number of municipalities engaged in collaborative waste management. The article implies this number is low by stating “many municipalities refused to engage with regional models.”

Summary of Findings

Source: ticotimes.net