Waste Management in Squatter Communities in Costa Rica an Assessment of Squatter Communities and the Development of Human and Solid Waste Management Plans
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Waste Management in Squatter Communities in Costa Rica An assessment of squatter communities and the development of human and solid waste management plans Aaron Behanzin, Caroline Concannon, Olivia Doane, Mackenzie Ouellette Sponsored by: December 15, 2011 Waste Management in Squatter Communities in Costa Rica An assessment of squatter communities and the development of human and solid waste management plans An Interactive Qualifying Project submitted to the faculty of WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science Sponsoring Agency: Un Techo Para Mi País Submitted to Mr. Daniel Mora and Mr. José Pablo Sandí: Un Techo Para Mi País Professor James Dempsey and Professor Jeanine Plummer: Worcester Polytechnic Institute Submitted by Aaron Behanzin Caroline Concannon Olivia Doane Mackenzie Ouellette December 15, 2011 i ABSTRACT Improper waste management in squatter communities in Costa Rica poses health risks to humans and degrades the environment. We worked with Un Techo Para Mi País to address the need for improved waste management in these communities. Using data on waste practices from site assessments, survey analysis, and personal communications, we developed a manual on feasible waste management options. For solid waste, a combination of composting, recycling, and municipal collection reduces waste volume at a reasonable cost. For human waste, composting latrines are low cost, use minimal space, and produce a usable product. We hope that these waste management strategies will improve living conditions in squatter communities in Costa Rica and throughout Latin America. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to extend our thanks to the following individuals and organizations for their support and contributions to the successful completion of this Interactive Qualifying Project: Un Techo Para Mi País (UTPMP) for sponsoring our project and providing us with the necessary resources to successfully complete our project Our sponsors, Mr. Daniel Mora and Mr. José Pablo Sandí, for their support and guidance throughout our project Mr. Mauricio Mora, for his help throughout the project with obtaining necessary documents in a timely manner Ms. María José Vasquez, Environmental Programs Coordinator, for providing her expertise with the organization and the communities Mr. José Antonio Aroyo and Mr. Arturo Gutierrez, UTPMP volunteers, for accompanying us on site visits and translating when necessary Ms. Paola Vidal Rivera, Environmental Engineering Laboratory Coordinator of the University of Costa Rica, for her expertise with wastewater management and taking the time to meet with us Ms. Alejandra Vargas for her guidance in translating our documents Mrs. Marcella Music and Mr. Jimmy Music for their guidance throughout the project and our experience in Costa Rica Mr. Andrey Rojas and Mr. A. Francisco Elizando for their support and help with translating when necessary The residents and community leaders of Barrio Nuevo, Cristo Rey, Vida Nueva, Guararí, and Ramal 7, especially Don E. Cerdas, for welcoming us into their community and providing information Professor Jeanine Skorinko, of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, for her guidance through the IRB exemption process and the organization of our data Professor James Dempsey and Professor Jeanine Plummer, of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, for their guidance and support throughout the duration of our project iii LIST OF ACRONYMS CIA – Central Intelligence Agency CRC – Costa Rican Colón DRFN – Desert Research Foundation of Namibia INEC – Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos de Costa Rica (National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica) PRODEL – Programa de Desarrollo Local US EPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency UN – United Nations UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund USD – United States Dollar US CDC – United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention UTPMP – Un Techo Para Mi País (A Roof for My Country) WEDC – Water, Engineering and Development Centre (Loughborough University, Leicestershire, United Kingdom) WHO – World Health Organization WPI – Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, Massachusetts) iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Squatter communities are settlements of people that do not rent or own the land on which they live and lack at least one of the three basic necessities: potable water, electricity, or improved waste disposal. Inadequate human and solid waste management can lead to adverse health effects, such as the transmission of diarrheal diseases, and environmental degradation. Un Techo Para Mi País (UTPMP) is a non-profit organization that is working on improving living conditions in squatter communities throughout Latin America. Our goal was to develop feasible waste management solutions for residents of squatter communities in Costa Rica in collaboration with UTPMP. Our first objective was to assess current waste management practices and resource constraints in squatter communities. We conducted site assessments in five squatter communities in Costa Rica, interviewed community leaders, and analyzed resident surveys administered by UTPMP. From these data collection methods, we found that all five squatter communities lack improved sanitation services as defined by the WHO. Common sanitation practices in these communities are unlined pit latrines and pipes leading from the houses into the river. The pit latrines are often located less than 30 meters from a water source, which violates WHO standards. The squatter communities also lack proper solid waste management methods. Common methods of disposal are burning, informally dumping on land and in rivers, and illegally receiving irregular municipal trash collection. The average monthly income per household ranges from $390 USD to $730 USD among the five communities. Monthly municipal trash collection is quoted to be approximately $5 USD per month per household in one of the municipalities. However, such trash collection is not reliable in squatter communities due to legality issues. Because squatter settlements are transient communities, the residents may be hesitant to implement a waste management solution when it is not guaranteed that they will see the long-term benefit. Our second objective was to evaluate waste management strategies. We researched options for human and solid waste management based on criteria such as cost, ease of implementation, and ease of use. We summarized 14 feasible options in an implementation manual for UTPMP. We then provided recommendations for one rural community and one urban community. For both communities, we recommend a combination of recycling, composting, and v municipal collection for solid waste. This strategy would reduce the overall volume of waste and therefore the amount of environmental pollution. For human waste, we recommend ventilated two-vault composting latrines. Composting latrines do not require additional treatment of human waste, they produce compost, and they are permanent structures. Odors and fly problems are low and they require little maintenance. Compost from both solid waste and composting latrines can be reused without negative environmental impacts. It is also possible that compost can be sold. We recommend that UTPMP updates the manual based on revisions made by the WHO and to account for fluctuation of material prices. Information regarding other methods of waste management should be included as the organization sees fit. In addition, we suggest that UTPMP adds information from their experiences with implementation of waste management strategies in squatter communities. UTPMP can use this manual throughout Latin America in the future to improve waste management in squatter communities. vi Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ v List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. x Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Geography of Costa Rica ...................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Waste Management in Costa Rica ......................................................................................... 6 2.3 Squatter Communities ........................................................................................................... 7 2.4 Un Techo Para Mi País ........................................................................................................ 11 2.5 Health Implications ............................................................................................................