Evaluation of Small Scale Burning in Nogales, Sonora
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EVALUATION OF SMALL SCALE BURNING OF WASTE AND WOOD IN NOGALES, SONORA Final Report Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology University of Arizona November 2007 (updated April 2008) Cover Photo: Urban Rocket Elbow Stove created from the shell of a discarded washing machine EVALUATION OF SMALL SCALE BURNING OF WASTE AND WOOD IN NOGALES, SONORA Final Report Prepared for: José Rodriguez Edna Mendoza Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Tucson, Arizona Prepared by: Diane Austin Gigi Owen Sara Curtin Mosher Megan Sheehan Jeremy Slack Olga Cuellar Maya Abela Paola Molina Brian Burke Ben McMahan Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona November 2007 (updated April 2008) Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... vii Chapter One: Background of Study ........................................................................................... 1 Goals and Objectives of the Study ........................................................................................... 1 The Problem .............................................................................................................................. 1 The Political Context ................................................................................................................ 2 A Structure for Addressing the Problem ................................................................................ 4 Potential to Reduce Garbage Burning .................................................................................... 5 Burning for Household Heating and Cooking ...................................................................... 13 Outline of Report .................................................................................................................... 14 Chapter Two: Study Methodology ............................................................................................ 16 Project Advisory Board .......................................................................................................... 16 Sampling .................................................................................................................................. 17 Household Survey ................................................................................................................... 18 Restaurant Survey .................................................................................................................. 21 Questionnaires by ITN Students in their Homes and Workplaces .................................... 22 Interviews and Focus Groups ................................................................................................ 22 Direct and Participant Observation ...................................................................................... 23 Draft Action Plan and Pilot Testing ...................................................................................... 23 Final Action Plan ..................................................................................................................... 23 Chapter Three: Nogales, Sonora: History, Development, and Infrastructure ..................... 24 History and Population Demographics ................................................................................. 24 Urbanization in Nogales ......................................................................................................... 28 Waste Collection and Management ....................................................................................... 29 Wood Burning for Cooking and Heating .............................................................................. 33 Home Construction, Insulation, and Thermal Efficiency ................................................... 34 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 34 Chapter Four: Incidence and Distribution of Small Scale Burning in Nogales, Sonora ...... 35 Garbage Burning .................................................................................................................... 35 Wood Burning ......................................................................................................................... 47 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 56 Chapter Five: Mechanisms for Reducing Burning .................................................................. 58 Reducing Garbage Burning ................................................................................................... 58 Wood Burning ......................................................................................................................... 74 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 78 Chapter Six: Plan of Action for Reducing Small Scale Wood and Garbage Burning in Nogales, Sonora ........................................................................................................................... 79 References .................................................................................................................................... 88 Appendices ................................................................................................................................... 94 Appendix A: Household Survey ............................................................................................ 95 Appendix B: Survey Protocols ............................................................................................... 99 Appendix C: Restaurant Survey .......................................................................................... 101 Appendix D: Interview and Focus Group Questions ......................................................... 103 Appendix E: Trucks Used for Collection of Municipal Solid Waste in Nogales, Sonora 105 Appendix G: Making Fibrous Concrete ............................................................................. 107 ii List of Tables Table 1.1. Production of Municipal Solid Waste in Mexico, 2005, according to Geographical Zones............................................................................................................................................... 7 Table 2.1. Survey Locations ......................................................................................................... 21 Table 4.1. Households Reporting Garbage Burning, According to AGEB Unit and Poverty Index, that Reported Burning in Response to the Survey Question: “Do you sometimes have to burn garbage?” ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Table 4.2. Frequency of Garbage Burning, According to AGEB Unit and Poverty Index, that Reported Burning in Response to the Survey Question: “How often do you burn garbage?”..... 38 Table 4.3. Relationship between Poverty Index and Garbage Service Regularity ....................... 40 Table 4.4. Relationship between Frequency of Burning and Garbage Service Regularity .......... 43 Table 4.5. Reported Reasons for Burning Garbage ...................................................................... 44 Table 4.6. Types of Waste Respondents Report as not Collected by the Municipal Service....... 46 Table 4.7. Household Management of Types of MSW that are not Collected by the Municipal Service........................................................................................................................................... 47 Table 4.8. Rates of Wood Burning in the AGEB Units Surveyed................................................ 50 Table 4.9. Comparison of Household Incomes of those Households who Do and Do Not Cook with Wood..................................................................................................................................... 51 Table 4.10. Relationship of Household Incomes to Types of Heating ......................................... 53 Table 4.11. Frequency of Wood Burning for Cooking, by Poverty Index within AGEB Unit .... 53 Table 4.12. Frequency of Wood Burning for Cooking, by Household Income............................ 53 Table 4.13. Frequency of Wood Burning for Heating, by Poverty Index within AGEB Unit ..... 54 Table 4.14. Frequency of Wood Burning for Heating, by Household Income............................. 54 Table 5.1 Types of Waste that Are Burned in Nogales ................................................................ 69 Table 6.1. Summary of Actions and their Implementation........................................................... 86 iii List of Figures Figure 2.1. AGEB units included in the study.............................................................................. 19 Figure 2.2. Variation in individual household income within each poverty class category