Rubbish and Recycling on the Peninsula
Rubbish on the Santa Elena Peninsula is collected by each municipality, reaching about 95% of homes. Disposal is the weak link: the waste still goes to open dumps rather than an engineered landfill.
Who collects it
| Canton | Collector | Amount | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Elena | EMASA EP (municipal company, since 2012) | About 130 t a day; 95% of the city, 90% of the north coast | Open dumps at km 3½ of the Santa Elena–Guayaquil road (city, Atahualpa, Ancón, Simón Bolívar) and north-east of Palmar (Manglaralto, Colonche) |
| La Libertad | Municipal Aseo Urbano, two shifts Monday–Saturday | About 63 t a day (2015 estimate) | Dump near barrio Nueva Provincia |
| Salinas | Municipal waste unit, 7 routes, 07:00–23:00 | 78.7 of 82.8 t a day collected | Ayamblo open dump (10 ha, km 2 of the Anconcito–Velasco Ibarra road) |
Good to know
- The dumps have little covering or compaction, and fires break out from time to time (about 2 ha burned at Santa Elena's site in April 2026).
- A shared landfill for the three cantons at El Tambo has been discussed since 2019 but has not been built.
- The holiday season can triple the amount of rubbish, so expect fuller bins and busier collection crews on beach weekends.
Fees and recycling
- The rubbish collection fee is now charged on the water bill (Aguapen). It used to be added to the electricity bill.
- Recycling is mostly informal: pickers' associations such as ASORECICASA in Salinas sort glass, cardboard and plastic. Salinas collects bottles, batteries and tyres at its sports centres.
Tips
- Put bags out on your street's collection days and times, not the night before.
- Don't burn rubbish; ask your neighbours or the municipality for the local schedule.
See also
Sources: PDOT cantón Santa Elena (pp. 41, 108–111); PDOT Salinas 2023–2027 (pp. 108–110, 146–150); PDOT Provincia de Santa Elena 2015–2019 (pp. 219–220); PDOT La Libertad 2014–2019 (p. 141); Primicias, 26 Apr 2026.