Bolivia’s Cochabamba hit by waste crisis as landfill protest grows

Thousands of tons of waste have filled Cochabamba as residents block access to a landfill, protesting health risks and worsening sanitation.

Around eight thousand metric tons of uncollected waste have piled up in the streets of Cochabamba, Bolivia, as local residents demand the closure of a landfill they claim is harming their health.

Residents living near the Kara Kara dump have maintained a blockade of the site for 14 days, with garbage accumulating along streets and avenues.

The Agro-environmental Court of Cochabamba accepted an appeal from the Kara Kara community to halt the delivery of waste to the landfill, but set a deadline of April 20 for solid waste to resume entering the site — a condition the residents have refused to accept.

Officials report a rise in cases of acute diarrheal diseases and hepatitis over the past two weeks, possibly linked to the mounting garbage clogging the city.

In response to the worsening situation, the Mayor’s Office and Cochabamba Municipal Council have decided to suspend the Day of the Pedestrian event, which had been scheduled for Sunday.

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