Chame Garbage Collection

You may have noticed your garbage piling up if you live in the district of Chame and use a private company for regular trash collection. With New Year's behind us, it is an unfortunate time to have a seize in garbage collection as many households have just produced a larger than usual amount of trash. We spoke with Melissa Herrera, Directory of City Planing for the district of Chame, today (Jan. 5 2016) to find out more about the garbage collection situation.

We asked why the private companies were no longer picking up garbage.

According to Sra. Herrara the private companies perviously used by many beach residents in local communities, as well as gated communities were not paid up on past taxes. For this reason they have been denied access to the Chame dump and prohibited from picking up garbage. Sra. Herrara  put emphasis on the decision to control garbage collection on a municipal level as it is part of a greater campaign to clean up the beach community.

By offering only two municipal contracts, the district of Chame aims to keep the areas in which trash is dumped controlled. This control will work to mitigate dumping near rivers, residential areas and schools. Furthermore, the municipality is working on a campaign aimed at discouraging littering. The campaign, called “Caza Cochino”, or in English “Hunt Pigs”, will increase infrastructure by placing trash receptacles in public areas and impose fines for littering.

If you were using a private trash company they will no longer be picking up your trash.

Those who live in "private gated communities" like Coronado, must contact the company Limasa, located in the Village Mall (Machetazo Plaza), in order to receive trash removal services. Limasa has the contract for the gated communities of Coronado, Altos del Maria, as well as Condo buildings in the district of Chame, businesses and local schools. Limasa is located in the Machetazo plaza on the 2nd floor before you get to LA TECA. The cost of trash collection will depend on several variables but will start at approximately $12. In order to sign the contract you need to go into the office and you must pay within the first 5 days of each month (this month is an exception as it has been a “messy” transition).  A sticker will be given to new clients and must be displayed on the household trash receptacle, in a place visible for those collecting the trash. Those who have visited the office and signed a contract for trash removal in the Coronado area say, Coronado service will be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Limasa Chame office hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - noon Email: Limasachame@gmail.com Phone: 6289-4914 / 344-7959 / 6991-9095

If you live in a local community you must go to the municipal building in Chame to sign a contract. The municipal building in Chame is across from the fire station. Collection will cost $5/month or $3/month for retirees. A sticker for each month will be issued.

In an effort to get the whole story we also spoke with Sr. Marquez, a private garbage collector who has been serving the Chame community for 16 years. Marquez told us that he met with the Mayor of Chame in early December, this is when he learned about the new company Limasa taking over several municipal garbage jobs. Marquez told us that at the meeting he was told that the new company would be picking up garbage at the schools and businesses in the district of Chame. Marquez explained, that after this meeting he was not aware that this would extend to the local communities. Marquez also told us that he has all of the paper work required to prove he paid the taxes that he is required to pay to various municipalities for depositing trash in their dumps.  

Sr. Marquez spoke of another meeting on December 22 where representatives of Limasa were present. In this meeting Marquez explained he was threatened with fines, if he were to continue collecting trash in the area including the gated community of Coronado. Marquez explained that the Mayor told those in attendance that private companies were no longer allowed to collect trash. Rather, the only companies allowed to pick up trash would be the municipality and Limasa. Marquez has stopped his trash collection giving his workers a 15 day holiday while determining what action to take next. Marquez has has contacted telemetro in an effort to speak publicly about the problems he is facing.

Several community members in Coronado have expressed concern as Marquez has been collecting their garbage for a long time, always getting the job done. Currently many residents are sitting in a pile of trash, with hope the new company will be by soon.