Border Environment Cooperation Commission
Construction of
a Sanitary Landfill, Closing of Current Dumpsite, and Improvements to the
Municipal Solid Waste Services in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora
1.
Type
of Project.
The
project consists of the construction of a sanitary landfill, the closing of the
current dumpsite, and several improvements, including equipment purchases, for
comprehensive solid waste management in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora.
2.
Location
of Project.
The project is located
within the municipality of San Luis Río Colorado, in the state of Sonora. The study area comprises the urban area of
San Luis Río Colorado, which is located within the 100-km. border zone. The
population of San Luis Río Colorado, estimated at 180,000 in the year 2000, is
expected to reach 440,000 by the year 2020. The sanitary landfill will be
located in the southern part of the city, as shown in the following
illustration.
3.
Description of Project and Tasks.
The description of the project's distinct
components is divided into final disposal, collection, street-sweeping, and the
closing of the current site. Moreover,
the investment program for the proposed work is divided into three stages. The first stage will have a duration of four
years, while the second and third stages will take three years each.
Final disposal
The construction of
a sanitary landfill for final solid waste disposal is proposed. This method
uses engineering principles to confine the waste in the smallest possible area,
covering it daily with layers of dirt and compacting it to reduce its volume.
In addition, it anticipates problems that might be caused by liquids and gases
produced in the landfill by the decomposition of organic material.
The confinement area must be prepared
after the final disposal. The construction of the sanitary landfill will be
carried out in three stages, each one or which will consist of a ditch and
three terraced-shaped layers, with the lowest elevation mark at 29.50, in the
center of the land, and with elevation marks of 30.5 in the surrounding areas;
the site area will be on a 1% grade. The operation will be carried out after
the preparation of each stage, until the entire excavation is covered.
Given the topographic and hydrological
characteristics of the site, the operation will fully utilize the terrain's
surface, in accordance with the combined method. This method will be used
because of the terrain allows for the excavation of ditches or trenches in
which to dispose of the waste.
The site is located on a plain where
the groundwater is at an approximate depth of 31.17 meters. As a result of the
prevailing climatic conditions in the town of San Luis Río Colorado (SLRC), no
leachates should, in theory, be produced; nevertheless, for safety reasons a
minimal system to control any leachates that are produced will be proposed.
The operation will begin within the
ditch, which will have with a depth of three meters. An access ramp will be
constructed for collection vehicles to enter and exit; solid waste will be
deposited at the foot of the slope; and a combined method will be used.
The following three layers will rise
up starting at the level of the natural terrain; hence they will form
three-meter-high layers superimposed on one another, until a maximum height of
12.50 meters is reached, taking the ditch into account.
For efficient compacting, machinery (a
Caterpillar model 816B or similar solid-waste compactor) with a compacting
capacity of 700 to 830 kg/m3 is proposed The compactor will move
first in one direction and then transversally.
For the closing of the three stages,
the final cover of the last layer will have a thickness 0.50 meters, of which
it is proposed that 0.40 m. be made of the material removed during excavation,
and 0.10 m. be made fine material removed from the material bank.
The coverage material will be taken
from the storage area to the next day's dumping area, it order for it to be
close at hand and so that it will not obstruct the discharge operations of the
collection vehicles.
Closing the current final (open-air) disposal site
San Luis Río Colorado's current municipal dumpsite will be closed by carrying out the following activities:
1. Removing and accumulating all waste disposed within the plot of
land, within an area measuring 507.5 x 441.0 m. and 2.5 m. high.
2. Compacting the accumulated waste by using a Cat-06 Caterpillar-type bulldozer/tractor.
3. Leveling the terrain at a 1/1000 southward grade, more or less in accordance with the natural slope of the land.
4. Once the land has been leveled, the waste will be covered with a 0.30-m.-thick layer, for a total of 70,292.5m 3 of cover material.
5. It is suggested that the cover material described in the preceding point be compacted to 70% using the Cat-06 tractor.
6. Given the area's precipitation range, the construction of an unlined perimeter drain for rainwater channeling is not recommended.
7. Forty-two biogas venting wells, 2.10 m. deep and with a diameter of 0.80 m., will be constructed; the height above the level of the closed surface will be 2.0 m. For the casing of the wells, 200-liter drums are suggested, as well as gravel 2-2.5 inches in diameter to fill the annular space between the perforation diameter and the drums.
8. The area's climatic conditions make it unfeasible to place either a grass cover or a tree fence on its entire surface.
9. Finally, the area must be enclosed with 2.0-m.-high cyclone meshing and upper protection made of three-strand barbed wire along the entire periphery of the land.
In accordance with the characteristics the site will have once it is closed--and especially considering its contents--it can only be used for the construction of a recreation area.
Collection System
The collection strategy proposes the method, frequency and equipment requirements for providing the collection service and giving 100-percent coverage in the short-term. To this end, two action plans have been designed, the difference between them being the frequency with which the service would be provided. Hence, the first option calls for a frequency of twice per week and the second for three times per week.
The option of providing service twice per week was selected. The sidewalk-collection method is proposed, using six-ton-capacity rear-loading collection vehicles. With the proposed number of vehicles, each vehicle would make two trips per shift and collect an average of five tons per trip. Also, the acquisition of one additional vehicle to give once-per-day service exclusively to the center of the city is proposed.
This strategy calls for the proposed actions to begin being implemented this year; also this year, investments in equipment acquisition and/or rehabilitation will be made, so as to increase the coverage and frequency of the service. The specific objectives are:
1. To achieve 100-percent coverage in the collection service provided to households and other sources.
2. To establish four collections macro-routes to balance workloads and collected waste between the different routes.
3. To maintain the sidewalk-collection method, using rear-loading compactors.
4. To establish a collection frequency of once per day in the center of the city and twice per week in the rest of the city.
5. To establish two eight-hour shifts for waste collection, from Monday through Saturday.
6. To propose equipment acquisition and replacement program over the 10-year planning period, in accordance with the requirements of the proposal.
7. To implement a preventive and corrective maintenance program for all available infrastructure.
8. To design supervision program to monitor the collection routes and evaluate the quality of the service.
9. To give training courses to the operations staff on: corrective use of collection vehicles; safety measures; dealing with the public; and, quality of service.
In the short-term, the acquisition of 10 collection vehicles and the rehabilitation of three existing vehicles is proposed.
Street-sweeping system
The scope of this strategy entails improvements in the quality, coverage, and efficiency of the mechanical sweeping service and the implementation of manual sweeping in the down town area. This strategy essentially consists of maintaining services on the routes that until now have been swept mechanically, increasing the frequency of the service, and implementing manual sweeping in the down town are on a daily basis. Its specific objectives are:
1. To implement manual sweeping in the center of town.
2. To increase the frequency with which the current routes are mechanically swept.
3. To implement technical procedures for these activities.
4. To establish personnel training to ensure the assigned work is performed correctly the equipment is used properly.
5. To implement a preventive maintenance program for refurbished and acquired equipment.
6. To acquire support equipment (dump trucks) for the service's daily operations.
The following goals have been set:
1. To increase the efficiency of the mechanical sweeping, from 17 to 32 km/sweeping machine/day, which would mean an 89% increase.
2. To increase the length of the routes serviced with mechanical sweeping from 251.9 to 385.2 km. per week, for a 53% increase.
3. To implement manual sweeping in the center of town, covering an average of 11 km./day, from Monday through Saturday.
4. To acquire support equipment for the mechanical sweeping service.
5. To refurbish the equipment to extend its service life by three years, given that the service life of the new equipment will be seven years.
6. To acquire, in the first year, a new sweeping machine and refurbishing those presently being used.
7. To implement a preventive maintenance program for refurbished and acquired equipment.
4. Compliance with International Treaties and Agreements.
The project will improve health and
environmental conditions on both sides of the border. The proposed work will be carried out exclusively in Mexico and
will not affect the United States--although the closing of the current dumpsite
will prevent fires, which can affect the air quality of San Luis, Arizona
Human Health/Environmental Needs.
Increased
trash generation without service that is properly planned, organized, and
operated as well as open-air dumpsites pose a risk for the population's health
and the quality of life, as well as a threat to the ecosystem. This project
will contribute to solve the environmental pollution and health problems that
affect the population of San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. The most noteworthy of
these problems are:
1. Air
pollution in terms of odors, gases, aerosols, and particles (because of
windborne dust and smoke generated in the final disposal sites), as well from
possible fires in dumpsites and leaks of biogas into the atmosphere.
2. Groundwater
contamination (through possible leachates generated in the current dumpsite
during the rainy season) once the soil has become contaminated.
3. The
presence of harmful fauna such as rats, flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and
other disease-transmitting vectors and other nuisances.
4. Risks
due to occupational exposure to contaminating agents and accidents.
5. Deterioration
of the Town's Image.
2. Environmental Evaluation.
The environmental evaluation of the project was
conducted through an Environmental Impact Document (MIA), based on the guide
prepared for this purpose by State of Sonora's Ministry of Ecology. The site designated
for the construction of the San Luis Río Colorado sanitary landfill had been
selected in a previous final design prepared in 1994. The land lies southwest
of the urban area, precisely 1.7 km. from the channel of irrigation district 14
on the PEMEX highway.
The MIA was prepared using BECC technical assistance
support. It was submitted to the State
Ministry of Ecology in June 2001 for review and comments, which were received
at the end of that month. The consultant is in the process of responding to the
comments so as to deliver the final version and wait for the Ministry's
advisory opinion.
3. Compliance with Ecology
and Cultural Laws and Regulations.
As mentioned above, the State
Department of Ecology reviewed and issued its comments on the Environmental
Impact Statement; once these issues have been dealt with, the project is
expected to comply with Mexican regulations. The MIA did not identify potential
impacts on archeological or cultural resources, since the work will be carried
out on a piece of that is being turned over to the municipality, on the
condition that it be used exclusively for the sanitary landfill. The INAH's finding is still pending.
1. Appropriate Technology.
The proposed technology is suitable for the physical and socioeconomic
conditions of San Luis Río Colorado, as described below for each one of the
components of the system.
The sanitary landfill was designed in accordance with a generation
study conducted in the city from March 22 to 29, 2000; the study ran for eight
consecutive days and obtained 100 pre-samples for each socioeconomic level. The
following table shows average, per day, per capita generation of household
solid waste (HSW):
|
Socioeconomic Level |
Generation Kg/inhab./day |
|
High |
0.743 |
|
Mean |
0.711 |
|
Low |
0.826 |
|
Average |
0.760 |
Given a population of 181,745, the assumed generation was approximately 138.12 tons/day of HSW in 2000.
Waste generation from other sources was determined by analyzing the daily reports from personnel residing in the municipal dumpsite and that were provided by the Sanitation Department, which is a part of the Department of Municipal Public Projects and Services (DOSPM) The waste data for the seven days analyzed in the study indicate an average of 32.7 tons/day. Based on this information, it was concluded that 170.82 tons/day municipal solid waste (MSW) are generated.
The MSW generation projection for the following 10 years, assuming a per capita generation of 0.99 kg/day, is given below:
|
Year |
Population |
Generation
(t/year) |
|
2001 |
192,650 |
66,030 |
|
2002 |
204,209 |
69,962 |
|
2003 |
216,462 |
74,163 |
|
2004 |
229,449 |
78,654 |
|
2005 |
243,216 |
83,454 |
|
2006 |
255,377 |
87,870 |
|
2007 |
268,146 |
92,546 |
|
2008 |
281,553 |
97,499 |
|
2009 |
295,631 |
102,745 |
|
2010 |
310,412 |
108,301 |
The sanitary landfill's design calls for it to have three cells, two of which have an approximate service life of four years and the other of three.
The technical evaluation included a determination of the theoretical time of leachate production. The conclusion of this evaluation was that a total buffer of 26.98 m. of soil is needed for each m 2 of soil receiving area in which these leachates percolate.
Given that a soil buffer of 26.98 m. is required to protect the water table from the year contamination and the depth of the groundwater, according to measurements taken in 2000 close to study site, is more than 31 m., and considering that the excavation will be 3 m. deep, the effective thickness or soil buffer is 28 m., for which reason lining with geosynthetic materials is not required
Nevertheless, a suitable preparation of the site is required to guarantee that in the future, the aquifer will not become contaminated by percolated liquids, and, similarly, to control and remove these liquids to the base of the landfill as quickly as possible, so as to eliminate the effects of instability in the operation. The executive project of the sanitary landfill includes a leachate-control system .
For the operation of sanitary landfill, the acquisition of the equipment shown in the following table is proposed:
|
Characteristics |
Description |
|
Brand |
Caterpillar or similar |
|
Type |
Chain Loader |
|
Model |
953 b |
|
Daily Operating Capacity |
225 tons/day |
|
Power |
120 hp |
|
Accesories |
|
|
Scoop |
2.25 yards 3 |
|
Chains |
18 |
|
Characteristics |
Description |
|
Brand |
Caterpillar or similar |
|
Type |
Solid waste compactor |
|
Model |
816 B |
|
Compacting capacity |
712 830 kg/m.3 |
|
Power |
216 hp |
The following table indicates the cover material requirements for the sanitary landfill's 10.3 years of service life.
|
Stages |
Service life (years) |
Waste deposited |
Waste deposited (m3) |
Number of cells |
Cover material (m3) |
|
1 |
4.0 |
315,953 |
421,271 |
1,268 |
47,856 |
|
2 |
3.4 |
320,982 |
427,976 |
1,052 |
48,618 |
|
3 |
2.9 |
320,982 |
427,975 |
898 |
48,618 |
|
Total |
10.3 |
957,917 |
1,277,222 |
3,218 |
145,092 |
Sweeping
For the closing of the three stages, the final cover of the last layer will have a thickness 0.50 meters, of which it is proposed that 0.40 m. be made of the material removed during excavation and 0.10 m. be made fine material removed from the bank.
The acquisition of new sweeping equipment and the refurbishing of the existing equipment is proposed. The needed equipment includes 12 carts, 24 metal drums (two per cart), 24 uniforms, 144 brooms, 144 dustpans, 24 caps, 24 pairs of boots, 24 pairs of gloves, and 24 reflection vests. In addition, the acquisition of a sweeping machine is proposed for the first year, another for the fourth, and their replacement each 10 years (seven years of service life, plus three more with refurbishing).
For mechanical sweeping, four routes with service from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, are proposed. The number of kilometers to be served per week, per route, is: 93 km. (1st. route), 98.7 km. (2nd. route), 100.5 km. (3rd. route), and 92.4 km. (4th. route). Moreover, the distance covered by manual sweeping will be 132 km. per week, and the frequency will be daily, from Monday through Saturday.
Collection
As part of the collection strategy, three collection routes have been designed for the city, and one for the down town area. To meet this goal, seven collection vehicles will be required for household waste and an additional four vehicles for industrial and commercial waste.
2. Operation and Maintenance Plan.
The operation of the sanitary landfill
is a fundamental part of solid waste management in the final disposal stage, as
set forth in standard PROY-NOM-084-ECOL-1997; the purpose of this is to
minimize environment and health risks.
The landfill will be operated with the
combined method, which is a standard method of operation in Mexico and complies
with the requirements set forth in the respective regulations.
The estimated costs of the project and the financial analysis include the operating and maintenance costs necessary for the appropriate upkeep of the machinery.
3. Compliance with applicable design norms
and regulations.
The executive project for the sanitary
landfill was prepared and submitted to SEDESOL. In fact, the current executive
project is a modified version of the project prepared by SEDESOL in 1994. The
proposed sanitary landfill complies with the requirements set forth in Mexican
regulations.
Financial Feasibility and
Project Management
1.
Financial
Feasibility.
The project is divided into three stages. The first calls for the construction
of the landfill, including the acquisition of equipment for its proper
operation and complementary work, the closing of the current dumpsite, the
acquisition of street-sweeping and solid waste collection equipment. The second stage consists of the acquisition
of additional street-sweeping and collection equipment, as well as the
construction of the second cell in the sanitary landfill. The final stage
consists of the acquisition of additional equipment and the construction of the
third cell of the sanitary landfill.
The investments required in the three stages are shown below:
|
PERIOD |
COST AND STUDIES |
AMOUNT (pesos) |
|
STAGE I (Year 1-2002) |
SWEEPING |
|
|
Truck (1) |
80,000 |
|
|
Collecting carts (12) |
36,000 |
|
|
Sweeper (1) |
500,000 |
|
|
Dump truck (1) |
550,000 |
|
|
Training courses |
50,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
1,216,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
COLLECTION |
|
|
|
Rear loading compactor (3)* |
1,920,000 |
|
|
Pick up (2) |
160,000 |
|
|
Training courses |
50,000 |
|
|
Routing studies |
50,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
2,180,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FINAL
DISPOSAL |
|
|
|
Land acquisition |
3,000,000 |
|
|
Complementary works* |
1,226,678 |
|
|
1st cell* |
4,118,494 |
|
|
Project management* |
2,461,452 |
|
|
Closure of open air dump |
1,500,000 |
|
|
Compactor (1) * |
2,500,000 |
|
|
Water truck (1) |
600,000 |
|
|
Dump truck (1) |
600,000 |
|
|
Front-end loader (D-6)* |
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
Pick-up (1) |
80,000 |
|
Dozer |
650,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
17,506,624 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
GENERAL
SERVICES |
|
|
|
Equipment and tools |
550,000 |
|
|
Radio communication |
18,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
568,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
INSTITUTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT |
|
|
|
Creation and strenghtening
of the operating agency |
1,200,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
1,200,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOCIAL
STRATEGY |
|
|
|
Environmental education |
100,800 |
|
|
Environmental culture |
210,700 |
|
|
Atention to open air dump
workers |
210,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
521,500 |
|
|
TOTAL
(1st stage) |
23,922,124 |
|
|
STAGE
II (2003-2006) |
|
|
|
SWEEPING |
|
|
|
Sweeping machine |
1,100,000 |
|
|
Routing Studies |
100,000 |
|
|
Training Courses |
50,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
1,250,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
COLLECTION |
|
|
|
Rear-Loading Compactor (4) |
2,560,000 |
|
|
Training Courses |
50,000 |
|
|
Routing studies |
50,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
2,660,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FINAL DISPOSAL |
|
|
|
2nd cell and complementary work |
4,196,894 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
4,196,894 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOCIAL
STRATEGY |
|
|
|
Environmental Education |
268,800 |
|
|
Environmental Culture |
470,400 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
739,200 |
|
|
TOTAL (2nd stage) |
8,846,094 |
|
|
STAGE III (2007-2011) |
|
|
|
SWEEPING |
|
|
|
Collecting carts (12) |
36,000 |
|
|
Routing studies |
100,000 |
|
|
Training Courses |
50,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
186,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
COLLECTION |
|
|
|
Rear-loading compactor (1) |
640,000 |
|
|
Routing studies |
100,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
740,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FINAL
DISPOSAL |
|
|
|
3rd cell and complementary
work |
4,223,710 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
4,223,710 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOCIAL
STRATEGY |
|
|
|
Environmental education |
76,800 |
|
|
Environmental culture |
98,000 |
|
|
SUBTOTAL |
174,800 |
|
|
TOTAL (3rd stage) |
5,324,510 |
|
|
TOTAL (1st, 2nd
and 3rd stages) |
38,092,728 |
|
*To be funded with SWEP resources and NADB loans, with the exception of rear-loading compactor truck.
The project's costs, broken down by category, are indicated in the following table.
|
Process |
Amount |
% |
|
Sweeping |
2,302,000 |
6.0 |
|
Collection |
5,280,000 |
13.9 |
|
Final disposal |
26,657,228 |
70.0 |
|
General services |
568,000 |
1.5 |
|
Institution Building |
3,285,500 |
8.6 |
|
TOTAL |
38,092,728 |
100 |
The financial structure of the project is given in the following table. Importantly, resources for the first stage of the project have been identified. The funds for the second and third stage will come from reserves, internal cash generated by town council, or credit resources.
|
Source |
Contribution |
% |
|
NADB-SWEP |
5,000,000 |
13.1 |
|
NADB-IDP |
1,200,000 |
3.2 |
|
Credit |
8,086,624 |
21.2 |
|
Fed/State/Municipal |
9,635,500 |
25.3 |
|
Community (2nd. and 3rd. stages) |
14,170,604 |
37.2 |
|
TOTAL |
38,092,728 |
100 |
2. Rate
Model
The proposed rates for municipal solid waste collection and disposal are given in the following table, along with the rates in effect in other localities.
|
Level |
SLRC |
China Gral Bravo |
Puerto Peñasco |
Ensenada |
|
Low |
15 |
20 |
14 |
9 |
|
Mean |
32 |
40 |
27 |
18 |
|
High |
56 |
na. |
45 |
36 |
n.a. not applicable
3. Project
Management
As part of the project, the creation
of a paramunicipal solid waste agency to manage the street-sweeping and
municipal solid waste collection and disposal services is being considered.
Beginning of the Public Process: This process began March 19, 2001, with the
delivery of the BECC Public Participation Guide and other reference documents
to the mayor of San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, José Enrique Reina Lizárraga, as
the project's official sponsor.
The Steefing Committee: After the preliminary meeting with the sponsor to describe the BECC
Public Process, work began on forming the Committee for this project. Hence,
with the Minutes dated May 9, 2001, the aforementioned Committee and its
executive committee were formed, with the following members:
Chairman: Flavio Chávez Flores.
Secretary: Héctor Encinas
Voting Members: Raúl Acedo, Ramón Ortega, Norma Aranda, and Marcos
Ochoa.
Technical Secretary: David López Fernández
Comprehensive Community Participation Plan: In
order to make the most of the available resources, so as to fulfill the social
commitment and have a foundation on which to design the BECC-required
Comprehensive Public Participation Plan for this project and comply with the
certification process, the Steering Committee decided to review all the
pertinent information in the "Public Opinion Study" that was
delivered in May 2000 to the Municipal Potable Water, Sewage and Sanitation
Operating Agency of SLRC, Son., (OOMAPAS), which had been conducted by CONSULTORES
AMBIENTALES DE SONORA. Although this information had been used for a water
project, it is up-to-date in terms of identifying certain of the community's
socioeconomic characteristics and especially regarding the most appropriate
means of informing the community of environmental problems and possible
solutions. Hence, the study served as the basis for the Public Participation Plan,
the members of which were subsequently chosen from the Citizen's Committee and
submitted for BECC approval.
The Comprehensive Public Participation
Plan was received on May 14, 2001, and was approved by the BECC on May 15.
Public Information: The project
proposal has been available to the public in the municipal offices of the
Department of Public Works and Municipal Services, located in City Hall; in
addition the information has been disseminated through brochures and fliers.
Public Meetings:
First Public Meeting: Held June 19, 2001, in
the Multiple Purpose Room of the DIF Municipal, with 115 persons in attendance;
in it the project's technical characteristics and scope were presented. An exit
poll was taken to determine if the project presentation had been properly
understood; a majority of the respondents indicated they had fully understood
it and that they felt that solving the trash management problem in the
municipality is highly important.
Second Public Meeting: Planned for July 19 in the same location; all the economic aspects of the project will be presented in that meeting: funding sources; the project's contributors; and rate arrangements.
Definition and Principles
The Border XII environmental program developed by
Mexican and U.S. authorities defines sustainable development as economic and
social development that is based on the conservation and protection of the
environment and the rational use of natural resources and that takes into
account present and future needs as well as the present and future impact of
human activities.
The San Luis Río Colorado Sanitary Landfill
Project complies with this definition of sustainable development--economic and
social development that is based on the conservation and protection of the
environment and the rational use of natural resources and takes into account
present needs without compromising the possibility of future generations to
meet their own needs.
Principle No. 1 specifies that human
beings are central to all concerns regarding sustainable development and that
they are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. Deficiencies in trash collection and the
lack of a suitable and controlled site for its final disposal clearly
contribute to increased health problems. Hence, the construction of a sanitary
landfill will have an immediate positive impact on the environment and human
health in the surrounding area, since it will reduce the number of rodents,
mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies and other vectors of disease.
Principle No. 2 establishes the right to
develop in such a way that the developmental and environmental needs of present and
future generations are ensured; this project fulfills this need, since is
ensures sanitation for the current and future population by protecting the
environment for its use by future generations. Without this project, the
conditions in some areas of the city and the current urban sanitation service
could grow noticeably worse. Many households dispose of their waste in ways not
in line with criteria normally accepted by state and federal authorities,
particularly in terms of open-air trash burning in backyards or streets.
In taking into account the
comprehensive management of municipal solid waste and non-hazardous industrial
waste, the project fulfills Principle No. 3--which states that
environmental protection is an integral part of the development process--by
improving urban sanitation services in San Luis Río Colorado and thereby
reducing the potential contamination of the soil and the water table.
Principle No. 4, which refers the
interest of the stakeholders in participating in any activity related to the
sanitation project, is fulfilled through the implementation of the community
participation plan described above. Moreover, the municipal authorities have
actively taken part in developing the project.
b. Institutional and Human
Capacity Building.
The scope of the project
calls for the creation of a paramunicipal sanitation agency to oversee
street-sweeping, solid waste collection and final disposal. Consequently, rates
have been proposed that will make the agency self-sufficient in its operations.
c. Conformance with Applicable Local/Regional Conservation and
Development Plans
The Plan for the
improvement of the comprehensive solid waste management in San Luis Río
Colorado conforms to all applicable provisions set forth in national, state,
and municipal development plans and complies with the terms of the 1995-2000
National Development Plan.
d. Conservation of Natural
Resources
This project will conserve
natural resources at two distinct levels: the operations level and the
community level. The improvements projects will be designed and implemented
with the best available technologies.
At the community level,
the Public Participation Committee is expected to promote a reduction of waste
generation among the various sectors of the population, through a more
efficient utilization of resources.
This could involve
inviting local schools to help raise their students' awareness regarding
resource conservation and reduced waste generation, thereby changing
consumption patterns in the home.
e. Community Development
The fundamental purpose of
the implementation of this project is to substantially improve urban sanitation
infrastructure, thereby providing the general population of San Luis Río
Colorado with safe and reliable services.
The project calls for implementing, for the first time,
a regular sweeping service for the principal streets in the center of San Luis
Rio Colorado.
The implementation of the
suggested improvements will increase the community's well-being, since the
area's inhabitants will be able to rely on the permanent, systematic, safe, and
suitable removal and disposal of their solid waste. Similarly, the volume of
pollutants dumped indiscriminately into the environment will be reduced,
through the elimination of the present inefficient waste management methods.