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Colón dump threatens public health

A. Racero/la prensa

saturated: The current garbage dump in Monte Esperanza is overflowing with discarded material, prompting residents there to ask authorities for a new one. 991005

The garbage dump in the Monte Esperanza area of Colón has turned into a time-bomb, and everyone in the district agrees that a new landfill needs t

Last week a dense cloud of smoke and toxic gases rose up from the landfill and descended on the city of Colón, provoking public ire and prompting residents to contact authorities to demand a new dump, one that complies with recognized standards of sanitation and security.

Marta Cecilia Escobar, a spokeswoman for Aguaseo, the company responsible for garbage collection in Colón, said that her organization and authorities from the Ministerio de Salud have been meeting over the last year to study possible new locations for a landfill.

However, a representative from nearby Cativá, Demetrio Prescott, said that he will not allow authorities to shift Colón's disposal problems to his community.

Cativá is the site of the old Panamanian refinery and one of the places proposed as alternative location for a new landfill.

"We don't want additional problems in Cativá right now," Prescott said. "Although it is true that we need a new landfill, the community of Cativá should be consulted on the matter."