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Res. 09424-2025 Sala Constitucional · Sala Constitucional · 28/03/2025
OutcomeResultado
The Constitutional Chamber denied the amparo appeal, finding no violation of the right to a healthy environment, as the respondent authorities proved they had acted within their powers.La Sala Constitucional declaró sin lugar el recurso de amparo al no encontrar violación al derecho a un ambiente sano, ya que las autoridades recurridas demostraron haber actuado conforme a sus competencias.
SummaryResumen
The petitioner filed an amparo action against the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), the Municipality of San José, and the Ministry of Health, alleging violation of her right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment due to trash accumulation along the Circunvalación highway, from Hatillo to San Sebastián. She claimed no institution was providing comprehensive and continuous cleanup. The Constitutional Chamber reviewed the evidence and found that the respondent authorities had acted: the Municipality cleaned three times a week with heavy machinery, CONAVI performed mowing and joint collection, and the Ministry of Health issued sanitary orders, monitored compliance, and deemed them fulfilled after verifying the service. The Chamber concluded no fundamental rights were violated, since a real and coordinated institutional response was proved, ruling out inaction or passivity. The appeal was dismissed, validating that partial but ongoing compliance satisfies the constitutional standard, without requiring an unrealistic elimination of all trash on a road constantly affected by third-party dumping.La recurrente interpuso un recurso de amparo contra el MOPT, la Municipalidad de San José y el Ministerio de Salud, alegando violación a su derecho a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado por la acumulación de basura en la carretera de circunvalación, tramo de Hatillo a San Sebastián. Argumentó que ninguna institución cumplía con la limpieza integral y continua de la vía. La Sala Constitucional analizó las pruebas y determinó que las autoridades recurridas sí habían actuado: la Municipalidad realizaba limpiezas tres veces por semana con maquinaria pesada, el CONAVI ejecutaba chapeas y recolección conjunta, y el Ministerio de Salud emitió órdenes sanitarias, las dio seguimiento y las tuvo por cumplidas tras verificar el servicio. La Sala concluyó que no hubo violación a los derechos fundamentales, ya que se demostró una respuesta institucional real y coordinada, descartando inacción o pasividad. Declaró sin lugar el recurso, validando que el cumplimiento parcial pero continuo de las obligaciones satisface el estándar constitucional, sin exigir un estándar irreal de eliminación absoluta de residuos en una vía constantemente afectada por actos de terceros.
Key excerptExtracto clave
III.- Regarding the petitioner’s actions before the Municipality of San José and the National Road Council (CONAVI). After analyzing the evidentiary elements submitted, this Court finds that there has been no violation of the petitioner’s fundamental rights. This is because the reports submitted by the representatives of the respondent authorities—given under oath, with the consequences, including criminal ones, provided for in Article 44 of the Law governing this Jurisdiction—and the evidence provided for the resolution of the matter, have duly shown that since 2019, the Citizen Security Directorate of the Municipality of San José has been carrying out control tasks in the indicated area, intervention of commercial establishments and digital monitoring. Moreover, they still continue with security duties. Thus, on 24 May 2023, the petitioner sent an email to the CONAVI Service Comptroller, expressing her dissatisfaction with the trash situation on the Circunvalación. In response, on 25 May 2023, the CONAVI Service Comptroller answered the petitioner as follows: “Based on the foregoing, this Institutional Service Comptroller considers that the request raised should be handled by the Municipality of San José, which is the Public Entity responsible for carrying out trash collection tasks.” IV.- Regarding the complaint filed with the Ministry of Health and the actions taken. Now, the petitioner claims that she also filed a complaint with the Ministry of Health regarding the solid waste problem on that stretch of the Circunvalación, but that neither said ministry, nor the Municipality of San José, nor CONAVI have performed the corresponding tasks, so the problem persists. However, this Court finds that this is not true. [...] From the above, it is confirmed that, in response to the petitioner’s complaint, the Hatillo Health Area took the pertinent actions, issuing the respective sanitary orders and following up on them until they were deemed fulfilled. Note that it was established that “a comprehensive cleaning of the Circunvalación highway stretch corresponding to the Hatillo District has been underway with the frequency required due to the serious commitment on the part of the Municipality of San José.” Thus, it is reiterated that the Hatillo Health Area deemed Sanitary Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 fulfilled. Moreover, the petitioner was always informed of these actions through multiple communications. V.- Conclusion. By virtue of the foregoing, the appropriate course is to dismiss the appeal in its entirety.III.- Sobre las gestiones de la recurrente ante la Municipalidad de San José y ante el Consejo Nacional de Viabilidad. Después de analizar los elementos probatorios aportados, este Tribunal verifica que no ha existido violación a los derechos fundamentales de la recurrente. Lo anterior, porque en los informes rendidos por los representantes de las autoridades recurridas -que se tiene por dado bajo fe de juramento con las consecuencias, incluso penales, previstas en el artículo 44 de la Ley que rige esta Jurisdicción- y la prueba aportada para la resolución del asunto, ha sido debidamente acreditado que desde el 2019, la Dirección de Seguridad Ciudadana de la Municipalidad de San José ha venido desarrollando labores de control sobre el área indicada, intervención de establecimientos comerciales y monitoreo digital. Además, a la fecha continúan con las labores de seguridad. Así, el 24 de mayo de 2023, la recurrente remitió un correo a la Contraloría de Servicios del CONAVI, manifestando su disconformidad por la situación de la basura en circunvalación. Ante esto, el 25 de mayo de 2023, la Contraloría de Servicios del CONAVI le contestó a la recurrente lo siguiente: “Por lo anteriormente expuesto, considera esta Contraloría Institucional de Servicios, que la Solicitud planteada debe ser atendida por la Municipalidad de San José, quien es la Entidad Pública encargada de realizar las labores de recolección de la basura”. IV.- Sobre la denuncia presentada ante el Ministerio de Salud y las actuaciones realizadas. Ahora bien, la recurrente alega que también interpuso una denuncia ante el Ministerio de Salud sobre la problemática de desechos sólidos en ese tramo de circunvalación, pero que dicho ministerio ni la Municipalidad de San José ni el CONAVI han realizado las labores respectivas, por lo que el problema continúa. No obstante, este Tribunal estima que eso no es cierto. [...] De lo indicado, se constata que, ante la denuncia de la recurrente, el Área de Salud de Hatillo realizó las acciones pertinentes, emitiendo las órdenes sanitarias respectivas y dándole el seguimiento respetivo hasta que se tuvo por cumplidas las mismas. Nótese que se estableció que “se ha estado realizando una limpieza integral del tramo de la carretera de circunvalación que corresponde la Distrito de Hatillo con la frecuencia requerida por el serio compromiso por parte de la Municipalidad de San José”. Así, se reitera que el Área de Salud de Hatillo tuvo por cumplidas las órdenes sanitarias No.005-H-AM-2024 y No.006-H-AM-2024. Además, de estas acciones siempre se le tuvo en conocimiento a la recurrente con múltiples comunicaciones. V.- Conclusión. En virtud de lo expuesto, lo que corresponde es declarar sin lugar el recurso en todos sus extremos.
Pull quotesCitas destacadas
"aun así no siendo nuestra competencia hemos atendido a cabalidad con el levantamiento de los residuos de toda índole, en resguardo y cumplimento del derecho fundamental de los ciudadanos, plasmado en el artículo N° 50 constitucional como así el Principio Precautorio del derecho Ambiental Costarricense"
"even though it is not our responsibility, we have fully complied by removing all kinds of waste, in safeguarding and fulfillment of the fundamental right of citizens, enshrined in Article 50 of the Constitution as well as the Precautionary Principle of Costa Rican Environmental law"
Informe de la Municipalidad de San José, oficio SLU-343-2024
"aun así no siendo nuestra competencia hemos atendido a cabalidad con el levantamiento de los residuos de toda índole, en resguardo y cumplimento del derecho fundamental de los ciudadanos, plasmado en el artículo N° 50 constitucional como así el Principio Precautorio del derecho Ambiental Costarricense"
Informe de la Municipalidad de San José, oficio SLU-343-2024
"lo solicitado en dicha orden sanitaria no es competencia del CONAVI la recolección de residuos sólidos, el CONAVI no va a suplantar la función propia y exclusiva de los gobiernos locales en cuanto al tema de la limpieza y recolección de basura bajo jurisdicción de los Municipios, la cual incluye las rutas nacionales"
"what is requested in that sanitary order is not within CONAVI's authority regarding solid waste collection; CONAVI will not replace the own and exclusive function of local governments concerning cleaning and trash collection under the jurisdiction of the Municipalities, which includes national routes"
Respuesta del CONAVI, oficio DRC-02-2024-0360
"lo solicitado en dicha orden sanitaria no es competencia del CONAVI la recolección de residuos sólidos, el CONAVI no va a suplantar la función propia y exclusiva de los gobiernos locales en cuanto al tema de la limpieza y recolección de basura bajo jurisdicción de los Municipios, la cual incluye las rutas nacionales"
Respuesta del CONAVI, oficio DRC-02-2024-0360
"no se ha demostrado técnicamente que exista responsabilidad administrativa en los hechos que originaron la interposición del proceso, sino de la municipalidad de San José y el Ministerio de Salud, como entes competentes en la recolección de basura y residuos sólidos"
"it has not been technically proven that there is administrative liability for the facts that gave rise to the filing of the proceeding, but rather that it lies with the Municipality of San José and the Ministry of Health, as the competent entities for trash and solid waste collection"
Informe del CONAVI, petitoria
"no se ha demostrado técnicamente que exista responsabilidad administrativa en los hechos que originaron la interposición del proceso, sino de la municipalidad de San José y el Ministerio de Salud, como entes competentes en la recolección de basura y residuos sólidos"
Informe del CONAVI, petitoria
Full documentDocumento completo
File: 24-012110-0007-CO CONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE. San José, at nine hours fifteen minutes on the twenty-eighth of March, two thousand twenty-five.
Amparo appeal filed by Nombre105826, identity card CED59456, against THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORT, THE MUNICIPALITY OF SAN JOSÉ AND THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.
Whereas:
| CÓDIGO DE RUTA | RUTA NACIONAL | TRAMO | LONGITUD (km) | CARRILES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1005 | 39 | ROTONDA DE SAN SEBASTIÁN - ROTONDA DE DESAMPARADOS | 3,40 | 6 |
| 1005 | 39 | ROTONDA DE SAN SEBASTIÁN - ROTONDA DE PAVAS | 3,40 | 6 |
| 1005 | 39 | ROTONDA DE PAVAS - ROTONDA DE LA BANDERA | 3,80 | 4 |
| 1005 | 39 | ROTONDA DE LA BANDERA - ROTONDA GUARARÍ | 4,10 | 4 |
| 1005 | 39 | ROTONDA GUARARÍ - INT. RUTA 32 | 6,10 | 4 |
| 1005 | 39 | CALLE BLANCOS - INT. RUTA 32 | 3,10 | 4 |
... and a series of photographs, where the garbage collection tasks carried out on the Circunvalación highway are demonstrated, whereby it is confirmed that CONAVI has collaborated in the management of this problem. FACT ELEVEN: It is accepted. From the reading of the facts exposed, it can be inferred that the entity that maintained a contradictory attitude was the Municipality of San José, which on one hand claimed that it was not its responsibility and later accepted that responsibility, which demonstrates that there is no clarity regarding its competencies in matters of garbage collection. FACT TWELVE: It is accepted. FACT THIRTEEN: It is accepted. FACT FOURTEEN: It is accepted. FACT FIFTEEN: It is accepted only that it is true that official letter SLU-343-2024 exists. It is rejected insofar as the Municipality of San José insists on arguing that the cleaning of national routes does not correspond to it, when Law for the Integral Management of Waste and the Reglamento sobre el Manejo de Basuras clearly establish that the collection of garbage in the canton corresponds to the Municipalities.
FACT SIXTEEN: It is accepted. FACT SEVENTEEN: It is accepted only that the official letter document exists; regarding its content, it is an assertion of this institution based on the legal norms that govern the matter. FACT EIGHTEEN: It is accepted that the document exists. As can be seen, the central problem lies in the lack of definition of competencies and the deficient inter-institutional coordination between the Municipality of San José, the Ministry of Health, and the MOPT (CONAVI). For this reason, it is requested that the appeal be declared with merit, ordering the Ministry of Health, as the governing body in matters of integral waste management, the Municipality of San José, and the MOPT (CONAVI), to coordinate effectively and efficiently to bring a definitive solution to the garbage collection problem on the Circunvalación highway, specifically on the stretch between Dirección4633 (Hatillo) and the San Sebastián roundabout, and that periodic cleaning and maintenance be guaranteed in those areas, in defense of the constitutional right of the petitioner here and all inhabitants to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment.
PROOF: The documents that appear in the judicial file and the digital archive of photographs are offered as evidence, which demonstrate the persistence of the garbage problem on the indicated Circunvalación stretch.” […]
(Subsequent content omitted for brevity, as it corresponds to a separate part of the original resolution) From the technical report submitted as evidence and from the writ of appeal (escrito de interposición del recurso de amparo) itself, the central problem lies in the fact that unknown persons constantly dump trash on the Circunvalación highway. Even though CONAVI performs brush-cutting work (chapea) on said Circunvalación and at the same time proceeds to collect traditional trash that is not large in size, according to its competencies, as demonstrated in the previous photos, the places remain clean and free of trash, but people come back to dump trash, and all the economic and human resources invested are reduced to nothing. Added to the above, it is demonstrated how CONAVI has constantly invested economic resources for brush-cutting work (chapea) in the Circunvalación area and surroundings, and jointly takes the opportunity to collect trash in small quantities.
STATEMENT ELEVEN: It is rejected. As has been well demonstrated through the aforementioned technical report, the problem is not partial or poorly executed work by CONAVI, but rather the continuous practice of unscrupulous people constantly dumping trash, and with greater reason when they see that the site is clean and orderly. STATEMENT TWELVE: It is true. As a result of the above, sanitary order No.005-H-AM-2024 was issued on February 29, 2024, addressed to the Minister of MOPT, where, according to the technical report submitted as evidence, it is demonstrated that CONAVI has fulfilled its obligation to perform brush-cutting work (chapea) and traditional trash collection, as demonstrated in the photos of the technical report submitted as evidence. STATEMENT THIRTEEN: It is rejected. No evidence has been presented in the judicial file demonstrating that CONAVI has failed to comply with its obligations to keep the sewers clean.
As has been mentioned and demonstrated in the technical report submitted as evidence, the problem is that no matter how much work CONAVI has done, unknown persons continue to dump trash. STATEMENTS FOURTEEN, FIFTEEN, and SIXTEEN: They are rejected. The appellant herself mentions the Municipality of San José as responsible, therefore this Directorate of CONAVI cannot refer to facts that do not fall within its competence. STATEMENT SEVENTEEN: It is accepted. STATEMENT EIGHTEEN: It is true. (CONAVI) within the brush-cutting (chapea) items on the national route, takes the opportunity and also proceeds to collect traditional trash provided it is in small quantities and found in the same brush-cutting (chapea) zones (see photos provided in the technical report submitted as evidence), which are carried out by the crews contracted by CONAVI, without the foregoing implying that obligations legally corresponding to the municipal entity are being assumed.
In accordance with the factual and legal arguments set forth above, the conclusion is that the subject matter of this appeal concerns the conduct of persons whose identity is unknown and whom the appellant herself fails to identify in the appeal; added to the fact that these are omissions left unfulfilled by entities other than CONAVI, regarding the obligations of trash collection. In accordance with Article 34 of the Constitutional Jurisdiction Law (Ley de Jurisdicción Constitucional), the amparo appeal (recurso de amparo) must be directed against the body that appears as the alleged author of the grievance, and there is no evidence in the judicial file demonstrating any responsibility on the part of this public administration; therefore, it is evident that the amparo appeal (recurso de amparo) directed against CONAVI must be rejected as established in Article 9 ibidem. (…) PRAYER FOR RELIEF For the factual and legal reasons set forth above, it is requested that the judgment declare the following: 1.
That the amparo appeal (recurso de amparo) against the undersigned Executive Director of CONAVI be dismissed, given that, in accordance with the principle of legality, this public administration lacks legal competence for the collection of trash and solid waste. 2. That CONAVI be excluded from this summary amparo (recurso de amparo) proceeding, given that it has not been technically demonstrated that there is administrative responsibility for the facts that gave rise to the filing of the proceeding, but rather it lies with the Municipality of San José and the Ministry of Health, as the competent entities for the collection of trash and solid waste. 3. In accordance with Article 8 of the Integrated Waste Management Law (Ley de la Gestión Integral de Residuos), I request that this present proceeding be extended to the Ministry of Health, as the regulatory entity for integrated waste management, so that in coordination with the Municipality of San José, they proceed to clean up the trash that is affecting the right to a healthy and balanced environment of the appellant herein.”
The foregoing is with the purpose of not delaying the legally established deadlines for the procedures received in this Directorate.” THIRD: By virtue of the foregoing, having examined the case, and it being determinable that it falls within the functional competence of different municipal bodies, namely:
In light of the foregoing, the records of the Office must verify the process and follow-up carried out, and in any case, request the information (response) from the technical bodies, so that the Mayor's Office may proceed to respond to the communication in question and provide, as soon as possible, the information requested by the Ministry of Health (Director of the Hatillo Health Area) on an urgent basis, in accordance with what was requested." B: SLU-0929-2024 states: "In response to communication DAJ-873-2024, wherein information is requested regarding the collection of waste that unscrupulous individuals dump on the Circunvalación highway Dirección2601 \"Dirección7836\", specifically between the Dirección7845 on the stretch running from the Centro Comercial Dirección4633 to the Dirección7838, I inform you: 1. On February 20, 2024, an inspection was carried out by the Municipal Technician, Mr.
Edgar Abarca Mata, and with communication SLU-343-2024, a response was given to communication MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-008-2024. Doctora Carolina Guillen Meléndez, Director, Hatillo Health Area, Ministry of Health, Hatillo. 2. On the 14th and 15th of April of this year, the cleanup was carried out and documented as part of the action plan in preparation for the active start of the rainy season. 3. On Monday, May 20th of this year, with communication SLU-0861-2024, a response was given to the AMPARO APPEAL, filed by Mrs. Nombre105826, against the municipality of San José, delivered to your Office by the Constitutional Chamber, under file number 24-012110-0007-CO 'Monday, May 20, 2024, SLU-0861-2024 In response to the AMPARO APPEAL, filed by Mrs. Nombre105826, against the municipality of San José, delivered to your Office by the Constitutional Chamber, under file number 24-012110-0007-CO, for the purpose of responding to it, I inform you: 1.
What the esteemed citizen denounces occurs on a national highway, under the jurisdiction of the MOPT, and not the Municipality, since the ones that correspond to this local government are the cantonal roads; we must indicate that the central reservations where waste of different kinds is accumulated and burned by street dwellers belong to the national highway, even so, not being our jurisdiction, we have fully attended to the removal of waste of all kinds, in safeguarding and compliance with the fundamental right of citizens, enshrined in Article No. 50 of the Constitution as well as the Precautionary Principle of Costa Rican Environmental Law, the service frequencies at the indicated location will be maintained, but it will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, therefore, to CONAVI, so that they may take cognizance of the situation and address it with a definitive solution in those spaces under their jurisdiction. 2.
This service is maintained within the cleaning role provided by this Department. It was attended to on Sunday, May 19, 2024. Photos attached.' 4. Subsequently, this servant has instructed the district supervisor, Mr. Fabián Vargas Hidalgo, to carry out daily inspections to document the behavior of the waste generators in the sector and also to document the direct action of the street dwellers who frequent the place and who act directly on the waste; these reports are attached starting from May 21st of this year, and they make it evident that the waste is a product of the informal activities that operate in the surroundings, and are also a product of an inadequate culture of the residential generator in the sector or neighboring sectors. 5. Regarding the request of the Hatillo Health Area in its communication MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-0180-2024, it is materially impossible to indicate how many times the cleanup has been carried out, because although there is a daily work record of the tasks of the Urban Cleaning section, they do not always correspond to the reports that are detailed and illustrated in this communication; however, I can state that for the Hatillo and San Sebastián district there exists, by work schedule, service from Monday to Saturday with an exclusive collection truck for cleaning public roads; additionally, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with a Back Hoe and Vagoneta, the so-called clandestine dumps in these districts are attended to, and due to their volume and type of waste, they must be handled by machinery of this type. 6.
Regarding the issue of jurisdictions, as it is a national route, I state that, in the most responsible manner towards the citizenry and inhabitants of the canton of San José, this department attends to this waste under the principle of public health prevention. 7. I do not omit to state that the sector is complex to attend to due to the high volume of traffic and high speeds, which motivates this department to apply strategies based on the safety of our operational personnel, the equipment, and the very safety of the vehicles and their occupants that travel along the route. 8. I reiterate that the actions developed from the Urban Cleaning Section are in accordance with our functions and objectives as the department administering the street cleaning rate, however, the measure of cleaning does not resolve an issue that demands greater control and regulation of the space. 'DEPARTAMENTO DE SERVICIOS AMBIENTALES LIMPIEZA URBANA Activity Report May 21, 2024 Supervisor: Fabian Vargas Hidalgo Shift: Daytime 6:00 am to 2:00 pm Time: 12:30 Detail: Dirección7846 Lic. Jonathan Arias Garro Head, Urban Cleaning Section By this means, I inform you that today, May 21st of the current year, a supervision was carried out at the fixed point located in the vicinity of the BAMBU condominium in Hatillo.
Today at 11:30 am, I arrived at the place to observe what type of trash was present; there was: rubble, ordinary trash, remains of screen glass, sabaras, filling material from washing machines, microwave waste. What is present in the surrounding neighborhoods who look for materials that can be sold at the nearby scrap yards. Photographs of the place are attached' 'DEPARTAMENTO DE SERVICIOS AMBIENTALES LIMPIEZA URBANA Activity Report May 22, 2024 Supervisor: Fabian Vargas Hidalgo Shift: Daytime 6:00 am to 2:00 pm Time: 1:00 pm Detail: Dirección7846 Lic. Jonathan Arias Garro Head, Urban Cleaning Section By this means, I inform you that today, May 22nd of the current year, a supervision was carried out at the fixed point located in the vicinity of the BAMBU condominium in Hatillo. Today at 12:00 pm, I arrived at the place to observe what type of trash was present; there was: doors, rubble, trash in the center of the road.
Photographs of the place are attached' On March 12, 2025, in communication MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-372-2025, it states: 'Mr. Ing. Efraim Zeledón Leiva Minister Ministry of Public Works and Transport MOPT Email: ...409 Mr. Lic. Diego Miranda Méndez Mayor Municipality of the Canton of San José-MSJ Email: ...2719 SUBJECT: Follow-up on Health Order No. 005-H-AM-2024 (MOPT) and No. 006-H-AM2024 (MSJ) with Amparo Appeal 24-012110-007-CO. Dear Sirs: I greet you cordially and at the same time, I allow myself to indicate the following: By means of this, I greet you and, in order to respond to the Amparo Appeal File No. 24-012110-0007-CO, I request with extreme urgency the information regarding the dates and number of times that your represented entities have proceeded to collect the waste that unscrupulous individuals dump on the Circunvalación highway Dirección2601 - \"Dirección7836\", specifically between Avenida 52 and 52A on the stretch running from Dirección3255 to the Dirección7838, from December 1, 2023, to date.
(zone with Google data attached) Source: Google May 22, 2024. https://www.google.com/maps/@9.9104813,- 84.0927069,17.5z?entry=ttu Respectfully again, I allow myself to forward a copy of the attached document CDC02-2024-0360-(0653) CCC, signed by the engineers Luis Antonio Alvarado Arce, Engineer of the Dirección7837, and Mauricio Sojo Quesada, Director of the Central Region, of the National Road Council (CONAVI), which is self-explanatory. The foregoing because the referenced Communication is contrary to what is indicated in paragraph 1 of the attached Communication SLU-343-2024, signed by Lic. Jonatan Arias Garro, Head of the Urban Cleaning Section of that Municipality. You are respectfully requested to analyze both communications and define the jurisdictions of the two institutions in the case at hand, for a better course of action. In addition to the foregoing, a response was requested in the attached communications MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-IT-016-2024, which was sent on April 2, 2024, by email, and on May 22, 2025, physically with the document delivered to the MOPT Office, MS-DRRSCSDARSH-183-2024, and with communication MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-180-2024 at the office of the Mayor's Office of the Municipality of San José.
Copies are attached. At this time, no response to the previously cited documents has been recorded in this Hatillo Health Area, so if the Health Order has not been complied with, action will be taken in accordance with the warning in the Health Orders.' On March 12, 2025, in communication MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-373-2025, it indicates: Mr. Lic. Diego Miranda Méndez Mayor, Municipality of the Canton of San José-MSJ Mrs. Lic. Emperatriz Ordeñana Ayerdis Department of Environmental Services Municipality of the Canton of San José-MSJ SUBJECT: Follow-up on Health Order No. 006-H-AM-2024 (MSJ) with Amparo Appeal 24-012110-007-CO. Dear Sir and Dear Madam: I greet you cordially and at the same time, I allow myself to request with extreme urgency the information regarding the dates and number of times that your represented entity has proceeded to collect the waste that unscrupulous individuals dump on the Circunvalación highway Route 39 - \"Paseo de la Segunda República\", specifically between the Dirección7845 on the stretch running from the Centro Comercial Plaza América to the Rotonda de San Sebastián, from December 1, 2023, to date.
(zone with Google data attached) March 13, 2025 DSA-0127-2025 instructs: 'For your attention, I forward communication MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-373-2025, sending follow-up on Health Order No. 006-H-AM-2024 (MSJ) with Amparo Appeal 24-112110-007-CO. As it is under your jurisdiction, proceed immediately, provide information on the actions taken to the Ministry of Health (...353), with a copy to this department.' Document SLU-0477-2025 from the Urban Cleaning Section of the Municipality of San José reads: 'Regarding the cleaning carried out from Hatillo to the Dirección7838, as well as the contamination known as Rancho de Guanacaste, I inform you that this section, as part of its operational plan, performs cleaning with heavy machinery: one back hoe and two vagonetas every week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and, if necessary, Saturdays, which corresponds to the cleaning schedule for this and other points in the districts: Hatillo and San Sebastián.
I must indicate that this type of cleaning is conducted on unauthorized points for waste disposal, meaning they are clandestine dumps misused by the generator, so it is clarified that the amount of waste is not fixed but variable, this directly affects the frequency with which the cleaning operation is carried out. Furthermore, it is important to point out that, based on the type of waste collected, it is presumed that the recyclers in the sector use it as a disposal site for their effects (...)' On March 13, 2025, the Technical Report MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-IT-378-2025 states: 'Subject: Follow-up on Health Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM2024 BACKGROUND: Complaint filed by Mrs. Nombre105826 regarding open-air dumps on the stretch of the Circunvalación highway that runs from the Dirección3255 to the Dirección7838 and the Amparo Appeal filed by the same person. ON-SITE INSPECTION: Initially, Health Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 were notified, to the serving Minister of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and to the Municipal Mayor of the San José Municipality, respectively, with the purpose of keeping the Circunvalación highway free of waste.
It is worth mentioning that this work has been assumed by the Municipality of San José to date. In follow-up to this case, the vehicles and municipal officials collecting from the informal waste deposits established along this stretch of the Circunvalación highway are constantly observed. As an example, the attached photographs of the actions of the Municipality of San José on July 27, 2024, were taken. It is worth mentioning that with this action by the Municipality of San José, the order of the Health Authority—which is to keep the Circunvalación highway free of waste, to the extent possible—is considered complied with; since it must be taken into consideration that the total eradication of these types of open-air garbage dumps that have been established informally, not only on this stretch of the highway, requires the will of the community, which is very difficult in marginal urban communities where using these types of spaces becomes a custom, and on most days when the Municipality performs the cleanup work, the waste deposits are seen again just a few hours later.
To confirm the collection work, Communication SLU-929-2024 is attached, and more specifically SLU-0477-2025, signed by Lic. Jonathan Arias Castro, Head of the Urban Cleaning Section of the Municipality of San José, where he refers to the dates on which that Corporation has proceeded in accordance with what was Ordered by this Ministry of Health, from May of last year to the first half of this month of March 2025. (This work has been carried out every day: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and, if necessary, Saturdays). For this work, they use machinery such as a Back Hoe and vagonetas. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that a comprehensive cleaning of the stretch of the Circunvalación highway corresponding to the Hatillo District has been carried out with the required frequency, given the serious commitment by the Municipality of San José, this authority deems the order by this Ministry of Health to be complied with.'"
Drafted by Magistrate Araya García; and,
Considering:
I.Object of the appeal. The appellant claims a violation of her fundamental rights, stating that the stretch of the Circunvalación highway extending from Dirección4633 (Hatillo) to the Rotonda de San Sebastián contains a lot of trash, as there is no adequate waste collection service. Therefore, she has filed her complaints with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, and the Municipality of San José, but none of these institutions have done anything about it.
II.Proven facts. Of importance for the decision in this matter, the following facts are deemed duly demonstrated, either because they have been accredited or because the respondent has omitted to refer to them as provided in the initial ruling:
- Regarding the appellant's actions before the Municipality of San José and the National Road Council (Consejo Nacional de Viabilidad):
The service frequencies at the indicated place will be maintained, but it will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, therefore, to CONAVI, so that they may be aware of the situation and address it with a definitive solution in those spaces under its jurisdiction. The land of the old Rancho Guanacaste, being private property, is subject to notifications for fencing and cleaning by the Department of Environmental Services" (see the reports rendered and the evidence provided).
- Regarding the complaint filed with the Ministry of Health and the actions taken:
The service frequencies at the indicated place will be maintained, but it will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, therefore, to CONAVI, so that they may be aware of the situation and address it with a definitive solution in those spaces under its jurisdiction. 2. The land of the old Rancho Guanacaste, being private property, is subject to notifications for fencing and cleaning by the Department of Environmental Services" (see the reports rendered and the evidence provided).
It is worth mentioning that the duly notified coordination and/or sanitary orders resulting from previous inspections are recorded in the files of the interested parties, as established by the General Public Administration Law, “Article 275: Any person who has a legitimate interest or a subjective right that may be affected, harmed, or satisfied, in whole or in part, by the final act may be a party to the administrative procedure, in addition to the Administration. The party's interest must be legitimate and may be moral, scientific, religious, economic, or of any other nature.” Therefore, it is certified that this governing health area, protected by the constitutional principles of reasonableness and proportionality and in accordance with available human and logistical resources, has carried out the pertinent inter-institutional coordination regarding integrated waste management (gestión integral de residuos) (…)” (see the reports submitted and the evidence provided).
aa) Through official communication MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-0189-2024 of May 23, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area requested the director of the Health Directorate to use her good offices with the Minister of Health and Vice President of the Republic for the due fulfillment of what was ordered (see the reports submitted and the evidence provided).
bb) On July 27, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area took photographs confirming the compliance of the Municipality of San José in eliminating the waste dumped on the Circunvalación highway and cleaning the section whenever necessary. The foregoing was recorded in the following communications: “a. SLU-343-2024 where they indicate cleaning of the area on February 20, 2024. b. SLU-0929-2024 where it indicates attention as a regular point in the cleaning and collection schedule. Additionally, in specific attention to this site and the sanitary order on April 14 and 15, 2024, and Sunday, May 19, 2024. They clarify that despite not being a municipal competency, it is fully addressed by removing the waste, safeguarding and complying with the fundamental right of citizens under Article No. 50 of the Constitution as well as the Precautionary Principle of Costa Rican Environmental Law, maintaining the service frequencies at the indicated location, but also transferring it to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport - CONAVI, so that it can address a definitive solution in those spaces under its competency” (see the reports submitted and the evidence provided).
dd) Through Technical Report MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-IT-378-2025 of March 13, 2025, the Hatillo Health Area established that the Municipality of San José has seriously assumed the responsibility of cleaning the section in question of the Circunvalación highway from May of the previous year to date, performing the work up to three days a week. This has been verified by the Hatillo Health Area through photographs. Said communication indicates the following: “Subject: Follow-up on Sanitary Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 BACKGROUND: Complaint filed by Mrs. Nombre105826 regarding open-air garbage dumps on the section of the Circunvalación highway from Dirección3255 to Dirección7838 and Amparo Appeal filed by the same person. ON-SITE INSPECTION: Initially, Sanitary Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 were notified, to the incumbent minister of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and to the Municipal Mayor of the San José Municipality respectively, with the purpose of keeping the Circunvalación highway free of waste.
It is worth mentioning that this work has been assumed by the Municipality of San José to date. In following up on this case, the presence of collection vehicles and municipal officials is constantly observed, carrying out the task of collecting the waste deposits that have been informally established along this section of the Circunvalación highway. As an example, the attached photographs were taken of the Municipality of San José's actions on July 27, 2024. It is worth mentioning that with this conduct by the Municipality of San José, what was ordered by the Health Authority is considered fulfilled, which is to keep the Circunvalación highway free of waste, to the extent possible; since it must be considered that the total eradication of this type of open-air garbage deposits that have been established informally requires the will of the community, which is very difficult in urban-marginal communities where using this type of space becomes a habit, and on most days when the Municipality performs the cleaning work, waste deposits are seen again a few hours later (…) CONCLUSIONS: Considering that comprehensive cleaning of the section of the Circunvalación highway corresponding to the Hatillo District has been carried out with the required frequency due to the serious commitment of the Municipality of San José, this authority considers what was ordered by this Ministry of Health to be fulfilled.” Thus, the Hatillo Health Area considered sanitary orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 fulfilled.
Furthermore, the Hatillo Health Area has proceeded to instruct the district supervisor to conduct daily inspections to document the behavior of the waste generators in the sector and also document the direct action of the street inhabitants who frequent the place and act directly on the waste. Thus, it is made evident that the waste is the product of informal activities operating in the surroundings, and is also the product of an inadequate culture of the residential generator in the sector or neighboring sectors” (see the reports submitted and the evidence provided).
III.Regarding the actions of the appellant before the Municipality of San José and the National Road Council. After analyzing the evidentiary elements provided, this Court verifies that there has been no violation of the fundamental rights of the appellant. The foregoing, because in the reports submitted by the representatives of the respondent authorities—which are taken as given under oath with the consequences, including criminal ones, provided for in Article 44 of the Law governing this Jurisdiction—and the evidence provided for the resolution of the matter, it has been duly accredited that since 2019, the Citizen Security Directorate of the Municipality of San José has been developing control activities over the indicated area, intervention of commercial establishments, and digital monitoring. Furthermore, to date, they continue with security tasks. Thus, on May 24, 2023, the appellant sent an email to the CONAVI Services Comptroller's Office, expressing her disagreement with the garbage situation on the Circunvalación highway.
In response, on May 25, 2023, the CONAVI Services Comptroller's Office replied to the appellant as follows: “Based on the foregoing, this Institutional Services Comptroller's Office considers that the filed Request must be addressed by the Municipality of San José, which is the Public Entity in charge of carrying out garbage collection tasks.” In that way, on June 2, 2023, the appellant communicated to the Municipality of San José, regarding CONAVI's response concerning garbage collection responsibility, the following: “Based on the foregoing, I request of you: 1. Fulfill the obligation that according to the indicated regulations corresponds to you. I know that management is difficult given that it is the citizenry that has very bad practices; however, since the responsibility is yours, the work should not focus only on collecting garbage one day; there must be continuous service, and if that Municipality has resources for recreational activities, which are important, it must, with greater reason, prioritize resources to keep that very important highway free of garbage and to manage the problem by involving the communities.” Thus, through communication SLU-343-2024 of February 20, 2024, the Municipality of San José notified the appellant as follows: “On February 20, 2024, an inspection was carried out by Municipal Technician Edgar Abarca Mata, indicating that the Circunvalación highway Dirección7835, Dirección7836, part of it located in front of the Bambú Shopping Center, is a national highway, under the competency of MOPT, and not of the Municipality, since those corresponding to this local government are cantonal roads; we must indicate that the planters where waste of different kinds is accumulated and burned by street inhabitants are on a national highway.
Even so, despite not being our competency, we have fully addressed the removal of waste of all kinds, safeguarding and complying with the fundamental right of citizens, embodied in Article No. 50 of the Constitution as well as the Precautionary Principle of Costa Rican Environmental Law; service frequencies at the indicated location will be maintained, but it will also be transferred to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, therefore, to CONAVI, so that it is made aware of the situation and addresses a definitive solution in those spaces under its competency. The land of the old Rancho Guanacaste, being private property, is subject to notifications for fencing and cleaning, by the Environmental Services Department.” Subsequently, through a technical report contained in communication DRC-10-2024-0611 (0189) of May 20, 2024, CONAVI established the following: “it is important to mention that this route has been attended through Routine Maintenance with Direct Contract No. 2022CD-00415-000600001 “Routine maintenance, contingencies, basic bridge maintenance, and conservation of the stormwater drainage system of the paved National Road Network, Line 1, Zone 1-1” with the activities of Right-of-Way Clearing and Garbage Collection, in the following table showing the dates on which this control section has been intervened (…) Intervention date.
December 11 to 14, 2023. January 21 to 22, 2024. February 15 to 22, 2024. March 3 to 7, 2024. April 12 to 15, 2024 (…) in this section, constant maintenance has been carried out by collecting all the garbage that appears; however, as indicated in the Amparo Appeal, in this sector there is constant garbage disposal by neighbors in the area. It is important to mention that due to this situation and having knowledge of the route sectors where there is a greater garbage disposal, scheduling is carried out for its collection once a month.”
In this sense, it is verified that both the Municipality of San José and CONAVI addressed the appellant's actions regarding garbage collection on that section of the Circunvalación highway.
IV.Regarding the complaint filed before the Ministry of Health and the actions taken. Now, the appellant alleges that she also filed a complaint before the Ministry of Health about the solid waste problem on that section of the Circunvalación highway, but that said ministry, the Municipality of San José, and CONAVI have not carried out the respective tasks, so the problem continues. However, this Court deems that this is not true. The foregoing, since it has been duly accredited that indeed on December 1, 2023, the appellant filed a complaint before the Ministry of Health regarding the garbage problem on the section of the Circunvalación highway from Dirección4633 to San Sebastián. Thus, through communication MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-RD-001-2024 of January 9, 2024, the Ministry of Health notified the appellant as follows: “Regarding the attention to this complaint, operations have been carried out in coordination with the Municipal Licenses department of the Municipality of San José, the Municipal Police, and the Public Police Force; in order to bring illicit activities operating in the area into compliance.
It is worth mentioning that those that did not comply were reported to the Public Ministry for disobedience to the Health Authority. As Documentary Evidence, there is the fact that on October 9, 2023, the complaint of disobedience to authority was filed at the Hatillo Prosecutor's Office. Furthermore, coordination has been carried out with both the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Municipality of San José for them to proceed with the cleaning of the roads where waste has been dumped; institutions that regularly perform the due maintenance, thereby demonstrating that this Governing Health Area has acted in accordance with current legislation regulating this matter within the framework of its competencies, and has also made all corresponding inter-institutional coordination.” Given that situation, the appellant requested the Ministry of Health for the following: “A certification issued by that Directorate, stating that there is no garbage at the location on the section of the Circunvalación highway from Dirección4633 to San Sebastián.
Copies of the inspection records carried out by that Ministry in the area, at the time of the complaint and subsequently when it is verified that the place is clean. Copies of the communications sent to the Municipality of San José and MOPT or any other institution on the matter. The foregoing in order to continue the necessary actions so that the Circunvalación highway is attended to as appropriate and in accordance with the functions that each Institution has delegated by law.” Thus, through communication MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-009-2024 of February 12, 2024, the Ministry of Health notified the appellant as follows: “I greet you respectfully, and in accordance with your request through email on January 29, 2024, I inform you that the request for the pertinent documents was channeled to the institutions, in order to provide the information requested by you (…) Copies of the communications sent to the Municipality of San José and MOPT or any other institution on the matter (…)”.
In this regard, the appellant states that the documentation was provided to her, but the garbage problem remains exactly the same, with the difference that sporadically the Municipality of San José partially collects garbage at the points where it accumulates most, without this meaning that the landscape and environmental care have improved. That is, the appellant's action was indeed responded to. Subsequently, on January 30, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area conducted an inspection of the reported site, where the periphery of the highway and the green area were checked, finding waste. Photographs were taken of the Hatillo district area. All of the foregoing is recorded in inspection record No. ARSH-URS-AM-023-2024. Thus, through technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-AM-IT-010-2024 of February 1, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area established the following: “Dear Madam: BACKGROUND: A complaint is received at this Governing Health Area regarding the presence of waste or “dumps”, on both sides of the highway, on the section from Dirección4633 to the old Dirección4116.
ON-SITE INSPECTION: An inspection was carried out on January 30, 2024, within the jurisdiction area of this Hatillo Governing Health Area, on the southern Circunvalación section corresponding to the Hatillo district, finding at the time thereof the presence of waste on the periphery of the highway and the green area. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with the foregoing, the corresponding administrative acts will be notified.” Additionally, through communication MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-007-2024 of February 13, 2024, and through communication MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-008-2024 of February 13, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area requested MOPT and the Municipality of San José for a list of the dates on which the highway was cleaned from where the Hatillo district begins to Dirección4633, in front of the old Rancho de Guanacaste, and even, if possible, what was executed regarding cleaning during the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Of those actions, through communication MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-009-2024 of February 13, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area notified the appellant regarding the follow-up of the complaint, in which it indicates “that her request was channeled to the competent institutions on the matter, in order to provide the information requested.” Likewise, the Municipality responded to what was requested by the Ministry of Health through communication SLU-343-2024 of February 22, 2024. Given these actions, on February 29, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area, as the governing body in the matter of integrated waste management, issued sanitary order No. 005-H-AM-2024 of February 29, 2024, addressed to the minister of MOPT, and sanitary order No. 006 -H-AM-2024 to the mayor of the Municipality of San José, ordering the elimination of all the waste located on the Circunvalación section (periphery and green areas) corresponding to the Hatillo district and to carry out a comprehensive cleaning of this Circunvalación section whenever necessary, within a period of 10 (ten) business days.
The foregoing was explained to the appellant through communication MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-014- 2024 of March 1, 2024, in which the Hatillo Health Area notified the following: “Dear Madam: I greet you respectfully, and in accordance with your request through email on January 29, 2024, and on February 14, 2024, at 4:02 p.m., and in adherence to “…Article 7 of the Integrated Waste Management Law, the Ministry of Health is the governing body in the matter of integrated waste management and must verify the application of said law and its regulations. Additionally, it must promote and implement inter-institutional coordination for integrated waste management. …” you are informed of the following: When problems of a sanitary nature have been evidenced through communication or complaint, coordination and/or the issuance of the corresponding administrative acts to the competent body have been carried out.
For the case in particular, subsequent to the inspection of January 30, 2024, where the accumulation of waste on the public road is verified, we proceeded to issue communications MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-007-2024 and MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-008-2024 to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Municipality of San José, respectively, and at this moment only a response has been received from the Municipality of San José, communication SLU-343-2024, and we are still waiting for a response from MOPT. Additionally, we proceeded to notify sanitary orders 005-H-AM-2024 and 006-H-AM-2024. It is worth mentioning that the duly notified coordination and/or sanitary orders resulting from previous inspections are recorded in the files of the interested parties, as established by the General Public Administration Law, “Article 275: Any person who has a legitimate interest or a subjective right that may be affected, harmed, or satisfied, in whole or in part, by the final act may be a party to the administrative procedure, in addition to the Administration.
The party's interest must be legitimate and may be moral, scientific, religious, economic, or of any other nature.” Therefore, it is certified that this governing health area, protected by the constitutional principles of reasonableness and proportionality and in accordance with available human and logistical resources, has carried out the pertinent inter-institutional coordination regarding integrated waste management (…)”. Subsequently, between Dirección7848 there was extensive communication between the Hatillo Health Area, the Municipality of San José, and CONAVI regarding the sanitary orders issued and the actions taken for their fulfillment. Afterward, on July 27, 2024, the Hatillo Health Area took photographs confirming the compliance of the Municipality of San José in eliminating the waste dumped on the Circunvalación highway and cleaning the section whenever necessary. The foregoing was recorded in the following communications: “a.
SLU-343-2024 where they indicate cleaning of the area on February 20, 2024. b. SLU-0929-2024 where it indicates attention as a regular point in the cleaning and collection schedule. Additionally, in specific attention to this site and the sanitary order on April 14 and 15, 2024, and Sunday, May 19, 2024. They clarify that despite not being a municipal competency, it is fully addressed by removing the waste, safeguarding and complying with the fundamental right of citizens under Article No. 50 of the Constitution as well as the Precautionary Principle of Costa Rican Environmental Law, maintaining the service frequencies at the indicated location, but also transferring it to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport - CONAVI, so that it can address a definitive solution in those spaces under its competency.” Thus, through document SLU-0477-2025 of March 13, 2025, the Urban Cleaning Section of the Municipality of San José stated the following: “Regarding the cleaning carried out from Hatillo to Dirección7838, and the contamination known as rancho de Guanacaste, I inform you that this section, as part of its operational plan, performs cleaning with heavy equipment: one backhoe and 2 dump carts every week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays if necessary, which corresponds to the cleaning schedule for this and other points in the districts: Hatillo and San Sebastián.
I must indicate that this type of cleaning is performed on unauthorized points for depositing waste, meaning they are clandestine dumps misused by the generator, so it is clarified that the amount of waste is not fixed, but may vary; this directly affects the frequency with which the cleaning operation is carried out. Furthermore, it is important to note that based on the type of waste collected, it is presumed that the recyclers in the sector use it as a disposal site for their effects.” Finally, through Technical Report MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-IT-378-2025 of March 13, 2025, the Hatillo Health Area established that the Municipality of San José has seriously assumed the responsibility of cleaning the section in question of the Circunvalación highway from May of the previous year to date, performing the work up to three days a week. This has been verified by the Hatillo Health Area through photographs.
Said communication indicates the following: “Subject: Follow-up on Sanitary Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 BACKGROUND: Complaint filed by Mrs. Nombre105826 regarding open-air garbage dumps on the section of the Circunvalación highway from Dirección3255 to Dirección7838 and Amparo Appeal filed by the same person. ON-SITE INSPECTION: Initially, Sanitary Orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 were notified, to the incumbent minister of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and to the Municipal Mayor of the San José Municipality respectively, with the purpose of keeping the Circunvalación highway free of waste. It is worth mentioning that this work has been assumed by the Municipality of San José to date. In following up on this case, the presence of collection vehicles and municipal officials is constantly observed, carrying out the task of collecting the waste deposits that have been informally established along this section of the Circunvalación highway.
As an example, the attached photographs were taken of the Municipality of San José's actions on July 27, 2024. It is worth mentioning that with this conduct by the Municipality of San José, what was ordered by the Health Authority is considered fulfilled, which is to keep the Circunvalación highway free of waste, to the extent possible; since it must be considered that the total eradication of this type of open-air garbage deposits that have been established informally requires the will of the community, which is very difficult in urban-marginal communities where using this type of space becomes a habit, and on most days when the Municipality performs the cleaning work, waste deposits are seen again a few hours later (…) CONCLUSIONS: Considering that comprehensive cleaning of the section of the Circunvalación highway corresponding to the Hatillo District has been carried out with the required frequency due to the serious commitment of the Municipality of San José, this authority considers what was ordered by this Ministry of Health to be fulfilled.” Thus, the Hatillo Health Area considered sanitary orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 fulfilled.
Furthermore, the Hatillo Health Area has proceeded to issue the instruction to the district supervisor to carry out daily inspections to document the behavior of the waste generators in the sector and also to document the direct action of the street dwellers who frequent the place and who act directly on the waste. Thus, it is made evident that the waste is a product of the informal activities that operate in the surroundings, and it is also a product of an inadequate culture of the residential generator of the sector or neighboring sectors.” From the foregoing, it is verified that, in response to the appellant's complaint, the Hatillo Health Area carried out the pertinent actions, issuing the respective sanitary orders and providing the respective follow-up until they were deemed fulfilled. Note that it was established that “a comprehensive cleaning of the stretch of the Circunvalación highway corresponding to the District of Hatillo has been carried out with the frequency required by the serious commitment on the part of the Municipality of San José.” Thus, it is reiterated that the Hatillo Health Area deemed sanitary orders No. 005-H-AM-2024 and No. 006-H-AM-2024 fulfilled. In addition, the appellant was always kept informed of these actions through multiple communications.
Furthermore, due to the sanitary orders issued, prior to the filing of this appeal, it is verified that coordination has been carried out between the Health Area, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, MOPT), and the Municipality of San José to proceed with the cleaning of the roadways where waste has been dumped, institutions that regularly provide the due maintenance, thereby demonstrating that the Governing Health Area (Área Rectora de Salud) has acted in compliance with the legislation in force that regulates this matter within the framework of its powers, in addition to having carried out all the corresponding inter-institutional coordination.
Therefore, contrary to what was alleged by the appellant, it is held that, prior to the filing of this appeal, those institutions did proceed to carry out the pertinent actions to resolve the problem reported. Thus, injury to the fundamental rights of the appellant is ruled out.
The parties are warned that if any paper document has been provided, as well as objects or evidence contained in any additional electronic, computer, magnetic, optical, telematic device or one produced by new technologies, these must be removed from the office within a maximum period of 30 business days counted from the notification of this judgment. Otherwise, any material not removed within this period will be destroyed, as provided in the "Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial", approved by the Corte Plena in session No. 27-11 of August 22, 2011, article XXVI and published in Boletín Judicial number 19 of January 26, 2012, as well as in the agreement approved by the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, in session No. 43-12 held on May 3, 2012, article LXXXI.
Por tanto:
The appeal is dismissed in its entirety.
Fernando Castillo V.
Fernando Cruz C.
Paul Rueda L.
Luis Fdo. Salazar A.
Jorge Araya G.
Anamari Garro V.
Ingrid Hess H.
SALA CONSTITUCIONAL DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, a las nueve horas quince minutos del veintiocho de marzo de dos mil veinticinco .
Recurso de amparo interpuesto por Nombre105826, cédula de identidad CED59456, contra EL MINISTERIO DE OBRAS PÚBLICAS Y TRANSPORTES, LA MUNICIPALIDAD DE SAN JOSÉ Y EL MINISTERIO DE SALUD.
Resultando:
Redacta el Magistrado Araya García; y,
Considerando:
I.Objeto del recurso. La recurrente reclama violación a sus derechos fundamentales, pues señala que el tramo de la carretera de circunvalación que se extiende desde Dirección4633 (Hatillo) hasta la rotonda de San Sebastián contiene mucha basura, pues no existe un adecuado servicio de recolección de residuos. Por ende, ha presentado sus denuncias ante el Ministerio de Salud, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes y la Municipalidad de San José, pero ninguna de esas instituciones ha realizado nada al respecto.
II.Hechos probados. De importancia para la decisión de este asunto, se estiman como debidamente demostrados los siguientes hechos, sea porque así han sido acreditados o bien porque el recurrido haya omitido referirse a ellos según lo prevenido en el auto inicial:
- Sobre las gestiones de la recurrente ante la Municipalidad de San José y ante el Consejo Nacional de Viabilidad:
El terreno del antiguo Rancho Guanacaste por ser esta propiedad privada está sujeto a notificaciones por cercado y limpieza, por el Departamento Servicios Ambientales” (ver los informes rendidos y la prueba aportada).
- Sobre la denuncia presentada ante el Ministerio de Salud y las actuaciones realizadas:
El terreno del antiguo Rancho Guanacaste por ser esta propiedad privada está sujeto a notificaciones por cercado y limpieza, por el Departamento Servicios Ambientales” (ver los informes rendidos y la prueba aportada).
Adicionalmente se procedió a notificar las órdenes sanitarias 005-H-AM-2024 y 006-H-AM-2024. Cabe mencionar que las coordinaciones o/y ordenes sanitarias debidamente notificadas resultado de inspecciones anteriores constan en los expedientes de las partes interesadas, conforme lo establece la Ley General de la Administración Pública “artículo 275: Podrá ser parte en el procedimiento administrativo, además de la Administración, todo el que tenga interés legítimo o derecho subjetivo que pueda resultar afectado, lesionado o satisfecho de manera total o parcial por el acto final. El interés de la parte deberá ser legítimo y podrá ser moral, científico, religioso, económico o de cualquier otra naturaleza.” Por tanto, se certifica que esta área rectora de salud amparados en los principios constitucionales de razonabilidad y proporcionalidad y conforme los recursos humanos y logísticos disponibles ha realizado las coordinaciones interinstitucionales pertinentes en lo referente a la gestión integral de residuos (…)” (ver los informes rendidos y la prueba aportada).
aa) Mediante oficio MS-DRRSCS-DARSH-0189-2024 del 23 de mayo de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo le solicitó a la directora de la Dirección de Salud interponer sus buenos oficios con la ministra de Salud y vicepresidenta de la República para el debido cumplimiento de lo ordenado (ver los informes rendidos y la prueba aportada).
bb) El 27 de julio de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo tomó fotografías que confirma el cumplimiento de la Municipalidad de San José de eliminar los desechos vertidos en la carretera de circunvalación y de limpiar el tramo cada vez que sea necesario. Lo anterior fue consignado en los siguientes oficios: “a. SLU-343-2024 donde señalan limpieza de la zona del 20 de febrero de 2024. b. SLU-0929-2024 donde señala atención como punto ordinario en el rol de limpieza y recolección. Además, en atención específica a este sitio y el ordenamiento sanitario los días el 14 y 15 de abril de 2024 y el domingo 19 de mayo de 2024. Aclaran que a pesar de no ser competencia municipal se atiende a cabalidad con el levantamiento de los residuos, en resguardo y cumplimento del derecho fundamental de los ciudadanos del artículo N° 50 constitucional como el Principio Precautorio del derecho Ambiental Costarricense, se mantendrá las frecuencias de servicio en el lugar señalado, pero también se trasladará al Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes - CONAVI, para que aborde con la solución definitiva en dichos espacios de su competencia” (ver los informes rendidos y la prueba aportada).
dd) Mediante informe Técnico MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-IT-378-2025 del 13 de marzo de 2025, el Área de Salud de Hatillo estableció que la Municipalidad de San José ha asumido con seriedad la responsabilidad de la limpieza del tramo en cuestión de la carretera de circunvalación desde mayo del año anterior hasta el día de hoy, realizando la labor hasta tres días por semana. Esto ha sido comprobado por el Área de Salud de Hatillo por medio de fotos. En dicho oficio se indica lo siguiente: “Asunto: Seguimiento de las Ordenes Sanitarias No. 005-H-AM-2024 y No. 006-H-AM-2024 ANTECEDENTES: Denuncia presentada por la Sra. Nombre105826 por basureros a cielo abierto en el tramo de la carretera de Circunvalación que va desde el Dirección3255 hasta la Dirección7838 y Recurso de Amparo incoado por la misma persona. INSPECCIÓN IN SITU: En un principio se procedió a notificar las Ordenes Sanitarias No. 005-H-AM-2024 y No. 006-H-AM-2024, tanto para el ministro de turno del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) como para el Alcalde Municipal del Municipio Josefino respectivamente, con el propósito de mantener libre de residuos la carretera de Circunvalación.
Valga mencionar que esta labor la ha asumido la Municipalidad de San José hasta el día de hoy. En seguimiento a este caso, se observa constantemente la presencia de los vehículos de recolección y de los funcionarios municipales, efectuando la labor de recolección de los depósitos de residuos que se han establecido informalmente a lo largo de este tramo de la carretera de circunvalación. Como ejemplo se tomaron las fotografías adjuntas del proceder de la Municipalidad de San José el 27 de julio de 2024. Valga mencionar que con este proceder por parte de la Municipalidad de San José se da por cumplido lo ordenado por la Autoridad de Salud, lo cual es mantener la autopista de circunvalación libre de residuos, en la medida de lo posible; ya que se debe tomar en consideración que para la erradicación total de este tipo de depósitos de basura a cielo abierto que se han establecido informalmente, no solo en este tramo de la autopista, se requiere de la voluntad de la colectividad, lo cual resulta muy difícil en comunidades urbano-marginales donde utilizar este tipo de espacios se vuelve una costumbre y la mayoría de los días en que la Municipalidad realiza la labor de limpieza y pocas horas después se vuelven a apreciar los depósitos de residuos (…) CONCLUSIONES: Tomando en cuenta que se ha estado realizando una limpieza integral del tramo de la carretera de circunvalación que corresponde la Distrito de Hatillo con la frecuencia requerida por el serio compromiso por parte de la Municipalidad de San José, esta autoridad da por cumplido lo ordenado por este Ministerio de Salud”.
Así, el Área de Salud de Hatillo tuvo por cumplidas las órdenes sanitarias No.005-H-AM-2024 y No.006-H-AM-2024. Además, el Área de Salud de Hatillo ha procedido a girar la instrucción al supervisor del distrito sobre realizar inspecciones diarias para documentar el comportamiento de los generadores de residuos del sector y además documentar la acción directa de los habitantes de calle que frecuentan el lugar y que actúan directamente sobre lo residuos. Así, se deja en evidencia que los residuos son producto de las actividades informales que operan en los alrededores, además son producto de una inadecuada cultura del generador residencia del sector o sectores aledaños” (ver los informes rendidos y la prueba aportada).
III.Sobre las gestiones de la recurrente ante la Municipalidad de San José y ante el Consejo Nacional de Viabilidad. Después de analizar los elementos probatorios aportados, este Tribunal verifica que no ha existido violación a los derechos fundamentales de la recurrente. Lo anterior, porque en los informes rendidos por los representantes de las autoridades recurridas -que se tiene por dado bajo fe de juramento con las consecuencias, incluso penales, previstas en el artículo 44 de la Ley que rige esta Jurisdicción- y la prueba aportada para la resolución del asunto, ha sido debidamente acreditado que desde el 2019, la Dirección de Seguridad Ciudadana de la Municipalidad de San José ha venido desarrollando labores de control sobre el área indicada, intervención de establecimientos comerciales y monitoreo digital. Además, a la fecha continúan con las labores de seguridad. Así, el 24 de mayo de 2023, la recurrente remitió un correo a la Contraloría de Servicios del CONAVI, manifestando su disconformidad por la situación de la basura en circunvalación.
Ante esto, el 25 de mayo de 2023, la Contraloría de Servicios del CONAVI le contestó a la recurrente lo siguiente: “Por lo anteriormente expuesto, considera esta Contraloría Institucional de Servicios, que la Solicitud planteada debe ser atendida por la Municipalidad de San José, quien es la Entidad Pública encargada de realizar las labores de recolección de la basura”. De esa forma, el 02 de junio de 2023, la recurrente le comunicó a la Municipalidad de San José, respecto a la respuesta del CONAVI referente a la responsabilidad de recolección de basura, lo siguiente: “En razón de lo anterior, les solicitó 1. Atender la obligación que según la normativa señalada les corresponde. Sé que es difícil el manejo dado que es la ciudadanía que tiene muy malas prácticas, sin embargo, siendo que la responsabilidad es de ustedes, el trabajo no debe enfocarse en solo recoger la basura un día, debe existir un servicio continuo y si esa Municipalidad tiene recursos para actividades de esparcimiento, que son importantes, con mayor razón debe priorizar recursos para mantener esa carretera tan importante libre de basura y de gestionar el problema involucrando a las comunidades”.
Así, mediante oficio SLU-343-2024 del 20 de febrero de 2024, la Municipalidad de San José le comunicó a la recurrente lo siguiente: “El 20 de febrero del 2024 se realizó inspección por parte del Técnico Municipal Edgar Abarca Mata, indicando que la carretera circunvalación Dirección7835, Dirección7836, parte de esta situada frente al centro Comercial Bambú, es una carretera nacional, competencia del MOPT, y no de la Municipalidad, ya que las que le corresponde a este gobierno local son las carreteras cantonales, debemos indicar que las jardineras donde acumulan y queman residuos de diferente índole por parte de los habitantes de calle son de carretera nacional, aun así no siendo nuestra competencia hemos atendido a cabalidad con el levantamiento de los residuos de toda índole, en resguardo y cumplimento del derecho fundamental de los ciudadanos, plasmado en el artículo N° 50 constitucional como así el Principio Precautorio del derecho Ambiental Costarricense, se mantendrá las frecuencias de servicio en el lugar señalado, pero también se trasladará al Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, por ende, al CONAVI, para que tenga por conocida la situación y aborde con la solución definitiva en dichos espacios de su competencia.
El terreno del antiguo Rancho Guanacaste por ser esta propiedad privada está sujeto a notificaciones por cercado y limpieza, por el Departamento Servicios Ambientales”. Posteriormente, mediante informe técnico contenido en el oficio DRC-10-2024-0611 (0189) del 20 de mayo de 2024, el CONAVI estableció lo siguiente: “es importante mencionar que esta ruta ha sido atendida mediante Mantenimiento Rutinario con la Contratación Directa No. 2022CD-00415-000600001 “Mantenimiento rutinario, contingencias, mantenimiento básico de puentes y conservación del sistema de evacuación pluvial de la Red vial, Nacional pavimentada, Línea 1, Zona 1-1” con las actividades de Chapea en Derecho de Vía y Recolección de Basura en el siguiente cuadro se muestra las fechas en las cuales se ha intervenido esta sección de control (…) Fecha de intervención. Del 11 al 14 de diciembre de 2023. Del 21 al 22 de enero de 2024.
Del 15 al 22 de febrero de 2024. Del 03 al 07 marzo 2024. Del 12 al 15 abril 2024 (…) en esta sección se ha realizado un mantenimiento constante mediante la recolección de toda la basura que se presenta, sin embargo, como se indica en el Recurso de Amparo en este sector se realizar un constante depósito de basura por parte de los vecinos de la Zona. Es importante mencionar que debido a esta situación y teniendo conocimiento de los sectores de la ruta donde se presenta un mayor depósito de basura, se realiza la programación para la recolección de la misma una vez al mes”.
En este sentido, se constata que tanto la Municipalidad de San José como el CONAVI atendieron las gestiones de la recurrente referente a la recolección de basura en ese tramo de circunvalación.
IV.Sobre la denuncia presentada ante el Ministerio de Salud y las actuaciones realizadas. Ahora bien, la recurrente alega que también interpuso una denuncia ante el Ministerio de Salud sobre la problemática de desechos sólidos en ese tramo de circunvalación, pero que dicho ministerio ni la Municipalidad de San José ni el CONAVI han realizado las labores respectivas, por lo que el problema continúa. No obstante, este Tribunal estima que eso no es cierto. Lo anterior, pues ha sido debidamente acreditado que efectivamente el 01 de diciembre de 2023, la recurrente interpuso una denuncia ante el Ministerio de Salid por la problemática de basura en el tramo de la carretera de circunvalación desde Dirección4633 hasta San Sebastián. Así, mediante oficio MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-RD-001-2024 del 09 de enero de 2024, el Ministerio de Salud le comunicó a la recurrente lo siguiente: “En lo referente a la atención de esta denuncia se ha realizado operativos en coordinación con el departamento de Licencias Municipales de la Municipalidad de San José, Policía Municipal y Fuerza Pública; para poner a derecho actividades ilícitas que funcionan en la zona.
Valga mencionar que las que no han acatado fueron denunciadas ante el Ministerio Público por desobediencia a la Autoridad de Salud. Como Prueba Documental se tiene que el 09 de octubre del 2023 se entregó en la Fiscalía de Hatillo la denuncia de desobediencia a la autoridad. Además, se han realizado coordinaciones tanto en Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes como a la Municipalidad de San José para que procedan a la limpieza de las Vías donde se han vertido residuos, instituciones que con regularidad dan el debido mantenimiento, con lo cual queda demostrado que esta Área Rectora de Salud ha actuado en apego a la legislación vigente y que regula esta materia en el marco de sus competencias además de que ha realizado todas las coordinaciones interinstitucionales correspondientes”. Ante esa situación, la recurrente le solicitó al Ministerio de Salud lo siguiente: “Una certificación emitida por esa Dirección, en donde se indique que en el lugar no hay basura en el tramo de la circunvalación que va desde Dirección4633 hasta San Sebastián.
Copia de las actas de inspección que ha realizado ese Ministerio en la zona, al momento de la denuncia y posteriormente cuando se verifique que el lugar está limpio. Copia de los oficios remitidos a la Municipalidad de San José y al MOPT o cualquier otra institución sobre el tema. Lo anterior a fin de continuar las gestiones que sean necesarias para que la carretera de Circunvalación se atienda como corresponde y de conformidad con las funciones que cada Institución tiene delegadas por ley”. Así, mediante oficio MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-009-2024 del 12 de febrero de 2024, el Ministerio de Salud le comunicó a la recurrente lo siguiente: “Le saludo respetuosamente y conforme a lo solicitado por usted mediante correo electrónico el día 29 de enero de 2024 le comunico que, se canalizó la solicitud de los documentos pertinente, a las instituciones, con el fin de proveer la información solicitada por su persona (…) Copia de los oficios remitidos a la Municipalidad de San José y al MOPT o cualquier otra institución sobre el tema (…)”.
Al respecto, la recurrente afirma que la documentación le fue suministrada, pero el problema de la basura sigue exactamente igual con la diferencia que esporádicamente la Municipalidad de San José medio recoge la basura en los puntos donde más se acumula, sin que ello signifique que el paisaje y el cuidado del medio ambiente hayan mejorado. Es decir, sí se tuvo por respondida dicha gestión de la recurrente. Posteriormente, el 30 de enero de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo realizó una inspección al sitio denunciado, en donde se revisa la periferia de la autopista y zona verde encontrando residuos. Se toman fotografías de la zona del distrito de Hatillo. Todo lo anterior se encuentra registrado en acta de inspección N°ARSH-URS-AM-023-2024. De ese modo, mediante informe técnico MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-AM-IT-010-2024 del 01 de febrero de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo estableció lo siguiente: “Estimada Señora: ANTECEDENTES: Se recibe denuncia en esta Área Rectora de Salud por presencia de residuos o “vertederos”, a ambos lados de la carretera, en el tramo que va desde Dirección4633 hasta la antigua Dirección4116.
INSPECCION IN SITU: Se realiza inspección el día 30 de enero de 2024 conforme a zona de jurisdicción de esta Área Rectora de Salud Hatillo, en el tramo de la circunvalación sur que corresponde al distrito de Hatillo, encontrando al momento de la misma la presencia de residuos en la periferia de la autopista y zona verde. CONCLUSIONES: De acuerdo con lo anterior, se procederá a notificar los actos administrativos correspondientes”. Además, mediante oficio MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-007-2024 del 13 de febrero de 2024 y mediante oficio MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-008-2024 del 13 de febrero de 2024 el Área de Salud de Hatillo le solicitó al MOPT y a la Municipalidad de San José la lista de las fechas en que se limpió la autopista desde donde inicia el distrito de Hatillo hasta Dirección4633, frente al antiguo Rancho de Guanacaste e inclusive de ser posible lo ejecutado en cuanto a limpieza durante los años 2022, 2023 y 2024.
De esas acciones, mediante oficio MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-009-2024 del 13 de febrero de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo le comunicó a la recurrente lo referente al seguimiento de la denuncia, en donde se le indica “que su solicitud se canalizó en las instituciones competentes al tema, con el fin de proveer la información que solicita”. Igualmente, la Municipalidad respondió lo solicitado por el Ministerio de Salud mediante oficio SLU-343-2024 del 22 de febrero de 2024. Ante estas actuaciones, el 29 de febrero de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo, como ente rector en materia de gestión integral de residuos, emitió la orden sanitaria No. 005-H-AM-2024 del 29 de febrero de 2024 dirigido al ministro del MOPT, y la orden Sanitaria No. 006 -H-AM-2024 al alcalde de la Municipalidad de San José, en donde se ordena eliminar la totalidad de los desechos que se ubican en el tramo de circunvalación (periferia y zonas verdes) que corresponde al distrito de Hatillo y realizar una limpieza integral a este tramo de la circunvalación cada vez que sea necesario, en un plazo de 10 (diez) días hábiles.
Lo anterior, le fue explicado a la recurrente mediante oficio MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-014- 2024 del 01 de marzo de 2024, en donde el Área de Salud de Hatillo le comunicó lo siguiente: “Estimada Señora: Le saludo respetuosamente y conforme a lo solicitado por usted mediante correo electrónico el día 29 de enero de 2024 y el 14 de febrero de 2024 a las 16:02 horas y en apego al “…artículo 7 de la Ley de Gestión Integral de Residuos, el Ministerio de Salud es el rector en materia de gestión integral de residuos y debe verificar la aplicación de dicha ley y sus reglamentos. Además, debe fomentar e implementar la coordinación interinstitucional para una gestión integral de los residuos. …” se le informa lo siguiente: Cuando se ha evidenciado por oficio o por denuncia problemas de índole sanitario se han realizado las coordinaciones y/o la emisión de los actos administrativos correspondientes al órgano competente.
Para el caso en particular y posterior a la inspección del 30 de enero de 2024 donde se comprueba el acumulo de residuos en la vía pública se procedió a emitir los oficios MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-007-2024 y MS-DRRSRCS-ARSH-RD-008-2024 al Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes y a la Municipalidad de San José respectivamente y en este momento solo se ha recibido respuesta de la Municipalidad de San José, oficio SLU-343-2024 y se continúa a la espera de la respuesta del MOPT. Adicionalmente se procedió a notificar las órdenes sanitarias 005-H-AM-2024 y 006-H-AM-2024. Cabe mencionar que las coordinaciones o/y ordenes sanitarias debidamente notificadas resultado de inspecciones anteriores constan en los expedientes de las partes interesadas, conforme lo establece la Ley General de la Administración Pública “artículo 275: Podrá ser parte en el procedimiento administrativo, además de la Administración, todo el que tenga interés legítimo o derecho subjetivo que pueda resultar afectado, lesionado o satisfecho de manera total o parcial por el acto final.
El interés de la parte deberá ser legítimo y podrá ser moral, científico, religioso, económico o de cualquier otra naturaleza.” Por tanto, se certifica que esta área rectora de salud amparados en los principios constitucionales de razonabilidad y proporcionalidad y conforme los recursos humanos y logísticos disponibles ha realizado las coordinaciones interinstitucionales pertinentes en lo referente a la gestión integral de residuos (…)”. Subsiguiente, entre Dirección7848 existió amplia comunicación entre el Área de Salud de Hatillo, la Municipalidad de San José y CONAVI sobre las órdenes sanitarias emitidas y las acciones realizadas para su cumplimiento. Posteriormente, el 27 de julio de 2024, el Área de Salud de Hatillo tomó fotografías que confirma el cumplimiento de la Municipalidad de San José de eliminar los desechos vertidos en la carretera de circunvalación y de limpiar el tramo cada vez que sea necesario.
Lo anterior fue consignado en los siguientes oficios: “a. SLU-343-2024 donde señalan limpieza de la zona del 20 de febrero de 2024. b. SLU-0929-2024 donde señala atención como punto ordinario en el rol de limpieza y recolección. Además, en atención específica a este sitio y el ordenamiento sanitario los días el 14 y 15 de abril de 2024 y el domingo 19 de mayo de 2024. Aclaran que a pesar de no ser competencia municipal se atiende a cabalidad con el levantamiento de los residuos, en resguardo y cumplimento del derecho fundamental de los ciudadanos del artículo N° 50 constitucional como el Principio Precautorio del derecho Ambiental Costarricense, se mantendrá las frecuencias de servicio en el lugar señalado, pero también se trasladará al Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes - CONAVI, para que aborde con la solución definitiva en dichos espacios de su competencia”. Así, mediante documento SLU-0477-2025 del 13 de marzo de 2025, la Sección de Limpieza Urbana de la Municipalidad de San José señaló lo siguiente: “Con relación a la limpieza que se realiza de Hatillo hasta la Dirección7838, como de contaminación conocido como rancho de Guanacaste, le informo que esta sección como parte de su plan operativo realiza limpieza con equipo pesado: un back hoe y 2 vagonetas todas las semanas los días martes, jueves y de ser necesario sábados, lo que corresponde al rol de limpieza de este y otros puntos en los distritos: Hatillo y San Sebastián.
Debo indicar que este tipo de limpieza se realiza sobre puntos no autorizados para depositar residuos, de manera que son botaderos clandestinos mal utilizados por el generador, por lo que se aclara que la cantidad de residuos no es fija, sino que puede variar, esto afecta directamente la frecuencia con la que se realice la operación de limpieza. Además, es importante señalar que por el tipo de residuo recolectado es de suponer que las recicladoras del sector lo utilicen como sitio de disposición para sus efectos”. Por último, mediante informe Técnico MS-DRRSCS-ARSH-IT-378-2025 del 13 de marzo de 2025, el Área de Salud de Hatillo estableció que la Municipalidad de San José ha asumido con seriedad la responsabilidad de la limpieza del tramo en cuestión de la carretera de circunvalación desde mayo del año anterior hasta el día de hoy, realizando la labor hasta tres días por semana. Esto ha sido comprobado por el Área de Salud de Hatillo por medio de fotos.
En dicho oficio se indica lo siguiente: “Asunto: Seguimiento de las Ordenes Sanitarias No. 005-H-AM-2024 y No. 006-H-AM-2024 ANTECEDENTES: Denuncia presentada por la Sra. Nombre105826 por basureros a cielo abierto en el tramo de la carretera de Circunvalación que va desde el Dirección3255 hasta la Dirección7838 y Recurso de Amparo incoado por la misma persona. INSPECCIÓN IN SITU: En un principio se procedió a notificar las Ordenes Sanitarias No. 005-H-AM-2024 y No. 006-H-AM-2024, tanto para el ministro de turno del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) como para el Alcalde Municipal del Municipio Josefino respectivamente, con el propósito de mantener libre de residuos la carretera de Circunvalación. Valga mencionar que esta labor la ha asumido la Municipalidad de San José hasta el día de hoy. En seguimiento a este caso, se observa constantemente la presencia de los vehículos de recolección y de los funcionarios municipales, efectuando la labor de recolección de los depósitos de residuos que se han establecido informalmente a lo largo de este tramo de la carretera de circunvalación.
Como ejemplo se tomaron las fotografías adjuntas del proceder de la Municipalidad de San José el 27 de julio de 2024. Valga mencionar que con este proceder por parte de la Municipalidad de San José se da por cumplido lo ordenado por la Autoridad de Salud, lo cual es mantener la autopista de circunvalación libre de residuos, en la medida de lo posible; ya que se debe tomar en consideración que para la erradicación total de este tipo de depósitos de basura a cielo abierto que se han establecido informalmente, no solo en este tramo de la autopista, se requiere de la voluntad de la colectividad, lo cual resulta muy difícil en comunidades urbano-marginales donde utilizar este tipo de espacios se vuelve una costumbre y la mayoría de los días en que la Municipalidad realiza la labor de limpieza y pocas horas después se vuelven a apreciar los depósitos de residuos (…) CONCLUSIONES: Tomando en cuenta que se ha estado realizando una limpieza integral del tramo de la carretera de circunvalación que corresponde la Distrito de Hatillo con la frecuencia requerida por el serio compromiso por parte de la Municipalidad de San José, esta autoridad da por cumplido lo ordenado por este Ministerio de Salud”.
Así, el Área de Salud de Hatillo tuvo por cumplidas las órdenes sanitarias No.005-H-AM-2024 y No.006-H-AM-2024. Además, el Área de Salud de Hatillo ha procedido a girar la instrucción al supervisor del distrito sobre realizar inspecciones diarias para documentar el comportamiento de los generadores de residuos del sector y además documentar la acción directa de los habitantes de calle que frecuentan el lugar y que actúan directamente sobre lo residuos. Así, se deja en evidencia que los residuos son producto de las actividades informales que operan en los alrededores, además son producto de una inadecuada cultura del generador residencia del sector o sectores aledaños”.
De lo indicado, se constata que, ante la denuncia de la recurrente, el Área de Salud de Hatillo realizó las acciones pertinentes, emitiendo las órdenes sanitarias respectivas y dándole el seguimiento respetivo hasta que se tuvo por cumplidas las mismas. Nótese que se estableció que “se ha estado realizando una limpieza integral del tramo de la carretera de circunvalación que corresponde la Distrito de Hatillo con la frecuencia requerida por el serio compromiso por parte de la Municipalidad de San José”. Así, se reitera que el Área de Salud de Hatillo tuvo por cumplidas las órdenes sanitarias No.005-H-AM-2024 y No.006-H-AM-2024. Además, de estas acciones siempre se le tuvo en conocimiento a la recurrente con múltiples comunicaciones.
Además, debido a las órdenes sanitarias emitidas, previo a la interposición del presente recurso, se constata que se han realizado coordinaciones entre el Área de Salud, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes y la Municipalidad de San José para proceder con la limpieza de las vías donde se han vertido residuos, instituciones que con regularidad dan el debido mantenimiento, con lo cual queda demostrado que el Área Rectora de Salud ha actuado en apego a la legislación vigente y que regula esta materia en el marco de sus competencias además de que ha realizado todas las coordinaciones interinstitucionales correspondientes.
Por ende, a diferencia de lo alegado por la recurrente, se tiene que, previo a la interposición del presente recurso, esas instituciones sí procedieron a realizar las acciones pertinentes para solventar la problemática denunciada. Así, se descarta lesión a los derechos fundamentales de la recurrente.
Se previene a las partes que de haber aportado algún documento en papel, así como objetos o pruebas contenidas en algún dispositivo adicional de carácter electrónico, informático, magnético, óptico, telemático o producido por nuevas tecnologías, éstos deberán ser retirados del despacho en un plazo máximo de 30 días hábiles contados a partir de la notificación de esta sentencia. De lo contrario, será destruido todo aquel material que no sea retirado dentro de este plazo, según lo dispuesto en el "Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial", aprobado por la Corte Plena en sesión N° 27-11 del 22 de agosto del 2011, artículo XXVI y publicado en el Boletín Judicial número 19 del 26 de enero del 2012, así como en el acuerdo aprobado por el Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, en la sesión N° 43-12 celebrada el 3 de mayo del 2012, artículo LXXXI.
Por tanto:
Se declara sin lugar el recurso.
Fernando Castillo V.
Fernando Cruz C.
Paul Rueda L.
Luis Fdo. Salazar A.
Jorge Araya G.
Anamari Garro V.
Ingrid Hess H.
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