Cuba faces public health crisis from uncollected waste
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 7
Cuba faces public health crisis from uncollected waste
7 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 7
In Havana, fewer than half of rubbish trucks operate, and authorities have set up 122 temporary waste points, with controlled incineration at 24.
Residents report smoke, flies, rats and worsening hygiene, while doctors cite more gastrointestinal illness and hepatitis in children; reduced fumigation also raises fears of another mosquito-borne disease surge.
The crisis comes as Cuba enters the rainy season after a late-2025 chikungunya epidemic that affected up to a third of the island, straining a healthcare system already hit by blackouts and medicine shortages.
What silent, long-term health disaster awaits Cubans exposed to years of toxic fumes from burning garbage?
As toxic smoke chokes Havana, can a new recycling push solve a crisis fueled by a crushing US blockade?
With Russian oil promised, will international aid be enough to avert Cuba's looming public health catastrophe?
The Cascading Impact of Fuel Blockades on Cuba’s Waste Crisis and Healthcare System in 2025-2026
Overview
Cuba is facing a severe public health crisis driven by a crippling fuel shortage caused by U.S. sanctions and geopolitical pressure that halted vital Venezuelan and Mexican oil shipments. This fuel scarcity has disabled most garbage trucks and power plants, leading to massive waste accumulation and prolonged blackouts. The resulting unsanitary conditions have fueled outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases, overwhelming the healthcare system already strained by medicine shortages and exhausted workers. Transportation paralysis and water scarcity worsen daily life, while local efforts like electric tricycles and recycling campaigns offer limited relief. Without urgent sanctions relief and sustainable reforms, Cuba's crisis risks deepening into a full societal collapse.