Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management of El GuarcoPlan Municipal de Gestión Integral de los Residuos Sólidos del Cantón de El Guarco

The President of the Republic at that time was León Cortés Castro. Three years after the approval, the General Directorate of Statistics granted El Tejar the title of Villa.

However, on August 16, 1969, under the administration of José Joaquín Trejos Fernández, Law 4379 was decreed, which granted the title of City to El Tejar.

Even though El Guarco was the last canton founded in the Province of Cartago, the roof tiles (tejas), the cabuya fiber, the mud in its time, and of course, its history, mark the essence of a community that today has more than 41,000 inhabitants.

5. The Meaning of « Guarco » The name of the canton is in memory of the Huetar cacique who inhabited the region. According to don Manuel M. de Peralta in his essay on The Aborigines of Costa Rica, he points out that Guarco is an indigenous word that comes from Nahuatl meaning Qualcan, qualli: good, convenient, and can: place. Qualcan or Guarco: good place. Or according to the version of Father don Alonso de Molina; a sheltered and convenient place.

The canton of El Guarco was created by Law 195 of July 26, 1939, as number eight of the province of Cartago, with four districts. The neighborhood of El Tejar was designated as the head town.

The name of the canton is in memory of the Huetar cacique of the same name who inhabited the region. According to don Manuel M. de Peralta in his essay on The Aborigines of Costa Rica, he points out that Guarco is an indigenous word that comes from Nahuatl meaning Qualcan, qualli: good, convenient, and can: place. Qualcan or Guarco: good place. Or according to the version of Father don Alonso de Molina; "a sheltered and convenient place".

Note: Information compiled through research of documentation from the Municipality of El Guarco and interviews with Cartago historian Franco Fernández Esquivel and resident of Cartago, Jorge Brenes Brenes, by the authors of the Blog: http://blog.vegadark.com/2014/08/el-canton-que-nacio-entre-tejas-cabuya-y-lodo/ 2. Geographic Aspects 1. Geographic Position El Guarco is the most recently constituted canton in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica. It is located basically along the first foothills of the Talamanca Mountain Range, on its Caribbean Sea watershed, this mountain system being a natural water divide. The mean geographic coordinates of the canton of El Guarco are given by 09° 43'57" north latitude and 83° 54'51" west longitude. It borders to the Northwest, North, Northeast, East, and Southeast with the canton of Cartago, to the South and Southwest with the Canton of Dota, and to the West with the Canton of Desamparados.

It has an elongated shape from northwest to southeast and has an area of 167.69 km².

Figure 3: Map of the cantons of the province of Cartago The head city is El Tejar, which is located approximately 2 kilometers southwest of the city of Cartago, in the El Guarco Valley, thus forming part of its metropolitan area. This city and its respective district concentrate just over 65% of the total population of the canton. The total population of the canton is 41,793 inhabitants (INEC Census 2011).

Figure 4: Map of the districts and main towns of the canton of El Guarco Source: Instituto de Fomento y Asesoría Municipal, 1985 2. Climate The rainy season is concentrated in the months of September and October with maximum peaks reaching 250 mm monthly. The dry season extends between the months of December and April. During these months, the highest level of precipitation barely exceeds 50 mm, while March is the driest month with a total of 16.03 mm.

Retana and Villalobos (2002) indicate that due to its geographic location, the type and quantity of precipitation is influenced to a greater extent by the Caribbean watershed. The authors explicitly state, "The northeast trade winds are the main factors responsible for bringing moisture to the valley. This allows for high rainfall levels capable of sustaining evergreen vegetation and landscape, even within the driest period. However, the west winds from the Pacific greatly influence the seasonality of the rains, presenting characteristic periods of the Pacific watershed: dry, rainy, transitions, and a short dry spell (veranillo)." Likewise, the rainfall records from the "Linda Vista" station show that in this geographic unit, the average annual precipitation is 1,478 mm. During the rainy season (May to October), the average temperature varies between 19.5 and 20°C, while from December to April (dry season), the average temperatures range between 16 and 19°C (Carrillo and Carrillo 2005).

Regarding relative humidity (RH), records determine that for the month of August, RH is 83%, while for November and December it increases to 93%. The global radiation presents values between 491,004 W/m2 recorded in the month of October and 647,990 W/m2 for the month of April (Astorga 2007).

3. Water Network The Canton of El Guarco possesses a well-defined fluvial network, which includes a group of rivers and streams that can be considered the focal point of the canton's hydrometeorological threats. This drainage network is mainly composed of: the Reventado River, the Purires River, the Empalme River, the Coris River, the Lobo River, and the Barahona Stream.

Of these rivers and streams, some have had the recurrence period of floods reduced to one year, and some to shorter periods, due to the occupation of floodplains, urban development in a disorderly manner and without any planning, and outside the margins of urban development and forest laws.

Furthermore, the dumping of solid waste into their channels results, along with the aforementioned factors, in the reduction of the hydraulic section capacity, which causes the overflow of rivers and streams. This situation has been generated by the serious problems of housing construction near rivers in the canton of El Guarco. The areas or neighborhoods most affected and at high risk from the floods of the aforementioned rivers and streams are: Reventado River: Tejar, Purires River: Purires, Tobosi, San Isidro, Empalme River: La Luchita, Coris River: Sabana Grande, Valle Coris, Lobo River: Higuito, Barahona Stream: Bermejo. Source: Comisión Nacional de Emergencias 4. Land Use The land use (uso del suelo) of the canton is mainly composed of agricultural activities and conservation zones. Residential zones are mostly in the north of the canton, and commercial zones are along the most important vehicular arteries.

The Partial Regulatory Plan (Plan Regulador Parcial) of the Canton of El Guarco was published on July 18, 2014, in Gazette No. 138. The plan regulates the territorial planning of the northern part of the canton included in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM). In Anexo 1, the geographic location of the scope of the Partial Regulatory Plan (Plan Regulador Parcial) of El Guarco can be seen.

The regulation for the constitution of the Río Navarro Río Sombrero Protective Zone No. 15436-MAG of March 30, 1984, is a territorial planning tool whose objective is to protect the water resources of the hydrographic micro-watersheds of the Navarro River and the Sombrero River. In Anexo 2, the geographic location of the Río Navarro Río Sombrero Protective Zone can be seen.

5. Human Settlements and Neighborhoods The urban area is located in the head of the canton to the north and is composed of urbanizaciones, residentials, neighborhoods, and condominiums, while in the rural zone and along the inter-American highway, sparsely populated human settlements are scattered.

TABLE 2: DISTRIBUTION OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS BY DISTRICT

Source: Municipality of El Guarco 6. Transport and Road Network The road network connects all human settlements via the Inter-American highway which crosses the Canton of El Guarco on its north-to-southeast axis. The map of the road network can be seen in Anexo 3.

TABLE 3: GENERAL CONDITION OF THE ROAD NETWORK

Source: Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019 TABLE 4: GENERAL INVENTORY OF THE ROAD NETWORK

3. Demographic Aspects 1. Population by District The canton of El Guarco has a total of 41,793 inhabitants, of which 21,057 are men and 20,736 are women, presenting a very similar ratio between both genders.

TABLE 5: DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION BY SEX, ACCORDING TO DISTRICT (1973, 1984, 2000, 2011)

Source: Own elaboration, based on the Population Censuses of Costa Rica (INEC, 1973, 1984, 2000 and 2011). Extracted from http://www.ccp.ucr.ac.cr TABLE 6: TOTAL POPULATION, BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA, ACCORDING TO: CANTON AND DISTRICT.

SOURCE: INEC. X National Population Census, 2011. Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019 El Guarco is a canton where the majority of inhabitants live in urban zones, with this population concentrated in the districts of El Tejar and San Isidro.

It is worth highlighting the fact that El Guarco has a district, Patio de Agua, that is eminently rural. At the district level and by zone, the relationship between genders in terms of the number of men and women remains very similar.

2 Population Growth Rate Figure 5: Evolution of the Total Population of the Canton of El Guarco according to the censuses of 1973, 1984, 2000, 2011 Source: Centro Centroamericano de Población/UCR (2013). Extracted from http://infocensos.ccpucr.ucr.ac.cr/El-Guarco.385.0.html The population almost tripled over a period of 38 years. However, during this period, the population growth rate decreased.

The annual population growth rate of the Canton went from 4.4% in the 1973-1984 period, to 3.9% in the 1984-2000 period, and 2.2% in the 2000-2011 period. Population growth has decelerated between the years 1973 and 2011.

Figure 6: Evolution of the Population Growth Rate between the censuses of 1973 and 2011 Source: Own elaboration, 2014 3. Population Projections El Guarco is a canton with a low population density, of 4.0 inhabitants per hectare. Due to its rugged terrain, the population has concentrated in the North zone, which contains the soils with the lowest slope in the canton, between the plains of the Purires River and the Reventado River. By districts, El Tejar, head town of the Canton, contains the majority of the population with 18,648 residents and a density of 30.4 inhab./ha. The district of San Isidro has a population of 9,165 people and a density of 1.6 inhab./ha., while Tobosi houses 5,418 inhabitants and 2.7 inhab./ha.

The number of inhabitants of the canton of El Guarco is growing at rates slightly below 1% annually and will continue to do so until 2030, with somewhat lower rates, which will remain between 0.9% and 0.5%. A population of just over 43,000 inhabitants is estimated for the year 2030, that is, about 9,000 more people than those counted in the year 2000. Nearly half of these new inhabitants, about 4,600, correspond to the district of El Tejar, 3,200 to Tobosi, and 1,300 to San Isidro.

The district with the highest percentage growth will be Tobosi, which currently presents rates above 2% annually but with a growth tending towards deceleration. The population of El Tejar will grow at a slightly slower pace than the cantonal average. The district of San Isidro, finally, is the one presenting the slowest growth of all. Source: Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019.

TABLE 7: POPULATION PROJECTIONS BY DISTRICT (ABSOLUTE NUMBER)

Source: Regulatory plan based on projections prepared by the Centro Centroamericano de Población. Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019 Within the framework of the PRUGRAM Plan, it is proposed that in territories where lifestyles linked to local traditions persist, with an occupation and land use (uso de suelo) for agricultural and livestock activities, as occurs in Tobosi and San Isidro, densities compatible with these lifestyles be maintained, regulating the ground coverage factor and promoting new expansions only around the current urban centers.

Figure 7: Population Projection by District in El Guarco to 2030 Source: Own elaboration based on projections prepared by the Centro Centroamericano de Población - Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019 According to information from the X National Population Census of the INEC, it can be concluded that the Canton of El Guarco is a young canton, with a total of 70% of the population between zero (0) and thirty-nine (39) years of age. The number of births for the years 2010-2011 was 646.

The senior citizen population is at a percentage of 8, located mostly in the district of El Tejar.

TABLE 8: TOTAL POPULATION, BY AGE GROUPS, ACCORDING TO: CANTON AND DISTRICT.

SOURCE: INEC. X National Population Census, 2011. Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019 4. Number of Dwellings by District, Urban and Rural Zone TABLE 9: DISTRIBUTION OF DWELLINGS BY ZONE, ACCORDING TO DISTRICT (2011)

Source: Population Census of Costa Rica (INEC, 2011), Own elaboration. Extracted from http://www.ccp.ucr.ac.cr 5. Education Indicators 95% of the population over 10 years of age is literate. It is established that education in the Canton is satisfactory in terms of population reach and the encouragement of entry and retention within the educational system, at least in the first levels, reaching 50% of the population with primary education, plus 29% of the population with secondary education.

The district with the highest percentage of illiteracy is Patio de Agua, which reaches 6% of the population.

Figure 8: Literacy in the Canton Source: INEC Data 2011. Prepared by Arch. Ercilia Gómez TABLE 10: LEVEL OF EDUCATION BY DISTRICT AND CANTON

Source: INEC Data 2011.

4. Economic Aspects 1. Employment Indicators When analyzing the employment indicators, we find that with a population of 11,916 men between 20 and 59 years of age, 14% of them are unemployed. The same data show that for the female population of 11,766 between 20 and 59 years of age, 58% are in a state of unemployment. Among the most common occupation categories is private sector employee. The predominant activities are manufacturing industries, commerce, and vehicle repair.

In comparative terms, the Economically Active Population (PEA) and the Economically Inactive Population (PEI) present very similar figures. Regarding the PEI, it turns out that in the majority and for all districts, the largest category consists of students and household chores, a fact that coincides with the composition of the general population, that is, people between 10 and 39 years of age and, eventually, with the majority of male heads of household.

Generally, unemployment in the Canton is slightly lower than that of the rest of the country; however, in districts such as Patio de Agua and, to a lesser extent, San Isidro, there is an unemployment level above the national average. A correlation can be made between unemployment indices and the rurality of the districts.

In terms of qualifications, there is a low number of specialized professionals and technicians, which may indicate a drain towards cantons with better job offers for this sector. Source: Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019.

TABLE 11: POPULATION AGED 12 AND OVER, BY ACTIVITY CONDITION.

Source: INEC. 2011, Five-Year Road Plan of El Guarco 2014-2019 2. Main Productive Activities TABLE 12: EMPLOYED POPULATION AGED 15 AND OVER BY BRANCH OF ACTIVITY (MAJOR GROUP) ACCORDING TO SEX

Source: INEC Census 2011 The composition of the employed population according to the economic sector, for the districts of San Isidro (which presents an interesting combination of urban and rural characteristics), Tobosi and Patio de Agua (highest percentage) is dedicated to agriculture and livestock primarily, while El Tejar to services.

In all districts except Patio de Agua, the tertiary sector (services) employs the greatest proportion of the population. In the case of Patio de Agua, employment is dedicated specifically to the primary sector, the majority of employment comes from agriculture.

In the canton of El Guarco, important intensive agricultural activities of high profitability and directed toward export are concentrated, which are principally floriculture and the cultivation of ferns. These crops are concentrated between the Quijongo junction and the nucleus of Tobosi along route 228 and the vicinity of Barrancas.

These agricultural productions employ a large amount of labor for planting, maintenance, harvesting and packing.

Despite the fact that labor displacements may occur toward other places outside the canton, the agricultural activity shows a closer relationship between the worker's place of residence and the place of work. (Bolaños Cerdas & Camacho Leiva, 2012) The most significant industrial activities have been located in the district of El Tejar, on the west side of the inter-american highway between the two districts in the zone that the GAM Plan established as industrial zones.

Regarding the existing businesses within the canton of El Guarco, those dedicated to the industry sector account for more than 22.82% of the total. (Bolaños Cerdas & Camacho Leiva, 2012) Pursuant to Executive Decree No. 34728-S: General Regulation for the granting of operating permits of the Ministry of Health, agricultural, industrial, commercial or service establishments or activities are classified as follows:

- Group A (High risk): Activities or establishments that by their characteristics represent or can represent a potential risk permanently to the health of people or to the environment. They are of a high level of complexity and of health and environmental risk. They have a score between 17 to 24 points.

- Group B (Moderate risk): Those activities or establishments that by their characteristics represent a moderate danger to the health of people or the environment. They are establishments of a moderate level of complexity and of health and environmental risk. They have a score between 10 to 16 points.

- Group C (Low risk): Activities or establishments that by their characteristics do not represent a significant threat to the health of people and present low impact to the environment. They are of a low level of complexity and of health and environmental risk. They have a score of 9 or less points.

TABLE 13: NUMBER OF EXISTING HEALTH, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, SERVICE AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CANTON OF EL GUARCO ACCORDING TO HEALTH RISK

Source: Área Rectora de Salud de El Guarco (January 2014) As of January 1, 2014, 1180 commercial licenses are registered, while 1178 commercial licenses were registered as of January 1, 2015.

5. Basic services 1. Access to services The basic services analyzed were the supply of potable water, the electrical connection and the use of sanitary service connected to a sanitary sewer system or septic tank.

In general the indices show very high factors of access to basic services, Patio de Agua being the District that presents the lowest indices.

According to these indicators, we can affirm that the canton meets general conditions of dignity, of sanitation, of being able to have energy, for the satisfaction of the basic needs of its inhabitants.

TABLE 14: INDICATORS OF AVAILABILITY OF BASIC SERVICES

Source: Plan Vial Quinquenal de El Guarco 2014-2019 Regarding the existing businesses within the canton of El Guarco, those dedicated to the services and commerce sector dominate, accounting for more than 77% of the total. More specifically, the businesses dedicated to commerce represent 22.82% and those for services 54.36% of the total.

TABLE 15: DISTRIBUTION OF BUSINESSES BY SECTOR AND BY SIZE

Source: Plan Vial Quinquenal de El Guarco 2014-2019 The predominance is observed of small service and commerce businesses with the purpose of supplying the demand of the residents, which are located based on the comparative advantages provided by the location along the communication routes, in addition to the mixed-use zones of the central areas.

Finally, there are in the canton places suitable for tourism, due to the preservation of elements of great environmental quality and the existence of historical heritage, but for its development it is necessary to adapt the tourism and road infrastructure, as well as invest in maintenance and adaptation of the tourist sites.

2. Water services In Tejar de El Guarco, the Tejar headquarters of the Instituto Costarricense Acueductos y Alcantarillados is providing the water service for human consumption to 61.7% of dwellings, businesses or institutions with 7294 subscribers. In the 4529 dwellings of the rest of the canton, the water service is provided by other supply systems of water for human consumption (See Table 16). In Annex 4 the list of sectors and the number of services provided by the AyA of Tejar de El Guarco can be seen.

TABLE 16: LIST OF WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS IN THE CANTON OF EL GUARCO (JANUARY 2014)

3. Electricity services The company Junta Administradora de Servicios Eléctricos de Cartago (JASEC) is providing the electricity service in the communities of the north of the canton while the company COOPESANTOS is providing the service to the communities of the south.

4. Health services TABLE 17: POPULATION REGISTERED TO THE HEALTH SERVICE (2013)

Source: Área Rectora de Salud de El Guarco, January 2014 86.9% of the population of the Canton is registered to the health service provided by the EBAIS (Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral en Salud). In Annex 5 the sectors served by each EBAIS of the Health Area of El Guarco can be seen for the period 2012.

5. Educational centers The canton of El Guarco has 30 primary educational centers including the preschool section and 5 secondary educational centers in addition to a Centro Atención Integral para Personas Adultas con Discapacidad (CAIPAD). During the year 2015 the Centro de Cuido y Desarrollo Infantil (CECUDI) "KEWO" will begin operations in Tejar de El Guarco.

Source: Cuadros de Censo Escolar 2015 TABLE 19: SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL CENTERS AND CAIPAD OF CIRCUIT 3

Source: Cuadros de Censo Escolar 2015 6. Organizations TABLE 20: ORGANIZATIONS OF THE CANTON

Source: Plan vial Quinquenal de El Guarco 2014-2019 In Annex 6 the list of temples and places of worship can be seen.

6. Public health 1. Principal diseases of the population TABLE 21: FIRST 5 CAUSES OF CONSULTATION BY PROGRAM (2011)

Source: Área Rectora de Salud de El Guarco, January 2014 TABLE 22: MEANING OF ABBREVIATIONS IVRS: upper respiratory tract infection HTA: Arterial Hypertension ETI: Influenza-type illness IRAS: Acute respiratory infection IAE: Self-harm attempt IAM: Acute myocardial infarction DM: Diabetes Mellitus TABLE 23: FIRST 5 CAUSES OF CONSULTATION BY PROGRAM (2012)

Source: Área Rectora de Salud de El Guarco, January 2014 The only two diseases that are considered to have an indirect link with the inadequate management of solid waste in the canton are Diarrhea and Dengue. During the year 2013, a total of 1468 cases of diarrhea were reported in El Cantón. In the case of Dengue, there are 7 imported positive cases for the year 2013.

TABLE 24: DISTRIBUTION OF DIARRHEA CASES BY DISTRICT (2013)

Source: Área Rectora de Salud de El Guarco (January 2014) It is worth mentioning that the Canton does not have a sanitary sewer system; only a deficient storm sewer system, which generates water stagnation throughout the year, even in the dry season. This causes the deficient soil filtration to contribute to the poor disposal of wastewater, becoming one of the priority health problems and triggering public health problems characteristic of the area. This aspect reflects a characteristic of the canton that increases the cases of diarrhea according to statistical records.

2. Transmission mechanisms Regarding the transmission mechanisms; infectious diseases are constituted by: a source of infection, a transmission mechanism, and a susceptible healthy person.

The transmission mechanisms can be: Direct or Indirect.

Infections that are transmitted by direct contact spread when a disease-causing microorganism passes from the infected person to the non-infected person by direct physical contact. Direct contact is touching or kissing, having sexual contact, or contact with secretions or wounds of an infected person. Infections that are transmitted by indirect contact spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs, sending infected droplets into the air. Healthy people inhale these infected droplets or the droplets land in people's eyes, nose, or mouth. Examples of some of them are chickenpox, the common cold, conjunctivitis, hepatitis A and B, herpes simplex, influenza, measles, mononucleosis, fifth disease, whooping cough, bacterial pneumonia, and skin infections.

2. The elements of the waste management system of the Canton 1. Generation and Characterization of waste 1. Per-capita production According to data from the National Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Services in Costa Rica (EVAL-2002) the waste production ratio per inhabitant in El Guarco amounts to 0.83 kg/inhabitant per day, a quantity that is above the average ratio for populations between 15,000 and 50,000 inhabitants (0.75 kg/inhabitant). Furthermore, also according to EVAL-2002, the coverage of the waste collection service amounts to 60%, a figure slightly lower than the average for this class of populations, which is 63.45% (Source: Plan Vial Quinquenal 2014-2019). According to the 2011 census, 9820 dwellings produced 6547.18 Tons, so the solid waste production per dwelling in 2011 was 4.11 kg/day/dwelling.

2. Quantity of waste generated TABLE 25: RECORD OF TONNAGE OF SOLID WASTE COLLECTED PER MONTH

Source: WPP Continental de Costa Rica S.A., January 2015 Figure 9: Tonnage of solid waste collected per year from 2008 to 2013 Source: Municipalidad de El Guarco, January 2015 Figure 10: Physical composition of solid waste Source: Soto, 2012, with data from the municipalities of San Carlos, Alvarado, Oreamuno and Cartago 2. Waste collection and transportation 1. Human resources The personnel dedicated to providing the collection service is composed of a coordinator, 2 drivers, and 8 collection operators. They work from 6:00 am to 3:30 pm from Monday to Friday.

2. Vehicle characteristics Since the month of October 2015, the Municipality has two rear-loading compactor collection trucks of the Freithliner brand with a capacity of 13.5 Tons. As a contingency plan if any truck should fail, there is a rear-loading compactor truck of the Mac brand, with a capacity of 11.5 Tons. In places that are difficult to access, collection is done with an Isuzu brand station-wagon type truck, NPR model of 3 Tons.

3. Route Ordinary solid waste is collected once a week from Monday to Friday in places of higher population density: Tejar, Tobosi, Tablón, Barrancas, Higuito, Guayabal, Guatuso and San Isidro. The service is not provided in the human settlements of the southern part of the canton, causing the custom of burying or burning waste to have been generated. In the community of Palmital, a private-type service is provided once a week. The following table shows the sectors in which collection occurs per day and the corresponding route mileage of the trucks.

TABLE 26: SECTORS COVERED AND MILEAGE

Source: Municipalidad de El Guarco, 2014 The collection service starts every day at 6:00 am and usually finishes around 3:00 pm. Since March 2, 2015, the route was optimized to improve efficiency. On Mondays, the part of Tejar located west of the Reventado river is collected, on Tuesdays the solid waste from the settlements located between the Reventado river and the Interamericana highway is collected, and on Wednesdays collection occurs in the remaining sectors: Tablón, Tobosi, Barrancas, San Isidro, Higuito, Sabana Grande and Guatuso.

4. Service coverage As of January 1, 2015, 9691 housing units were served with the waste collection service. According to the 2011 census, the canton has 11823 housing units. Therefore, the service coverage percentage is 81.97%. The collection route for ordinary solid waste for the year 2014 can be seen in Annex 7 and for the year 2015 in Annex 8. The collection route has been optimized since March 2, 2015, in high population density sectors during the year 2015 in order to free up the time necessary to provide the service in the missing sectors.

5. Distance traveled per route and vehicle Average mileage per day (without landfill): 23.8 km Average mileage for the canton - landfill journey: 24.2 km Average mileage per day (with 2 trips including canton - landfill journeys): 72.2 km 6. Number of trips per route and per day Usually, 2 trips per route per day are made. When more ordinary solid waste is produced, for example during the Christmas season, 3 trips per day are often made. The tonnage and volume of solid waste increases especially due to the cardboard and paper from wrappings which could be recycled.

TABLE 27: AVERAGE TONNAGE PER TRIP AND PER COLLECTION DAY

Source: Municipalidad de El Guarco, 2014 In case of breakdowns, the truck is replaced by another, which increases the number of trips per day. During the year 2013, breakdowns were very frequent, which often caused delays in the routes and an increase in the average number of trips per day. Very often it was also necessary to work on Saturdays to bring the routes up to date.

3. Cleaning of roads and public areas The street and public site cleaning service consists of cleaning the streets of solid waste and cleaning principally the storm sewer system in which solid waste and sediment accumulate. The solid waste is separated and placed in plastic bags so that the solid waste collection truck can take it away. The sediments are transported thanks to a tractor with a cart and are disposed of in a municipal lot located next to the Interamericana highway.

Regarding the personnel dedicated to the street cleaning service, it has a coordinator, a driver, and six operators. As of January 1, 2015, the street cleaning service extends to 13,770.76 m, the output per person is 460 m/person/day. The map of the sectors served by the street cleaning service can be seen in Annex 9.

4. Recovery of recoverable waste During 2013 and 2014, in several towns of the canton, citizens of scarce economic resources participated in the "Manos a la Obra" program promoted by the Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social (IMAS) and organized themselves into recycling groups. They went house to house to collect and classify recoverable solid waste. Then they sold the material as economic sustenance. The 11 communities that had an organized "Manos a la Obra" recycling group are the following: San Isidro, Tobosi, Tablón, Barrancas, Tejar centro, Patio de agua, Caragral, La Estrella, Palo Verde, Palmital Norte, La Esperanza.

Figure 11: Manos a la Obra Group in San Isidro de El Guarco Source: Municipalidad de El Guarco, 2013 Since the year 2012, the Environmental Commission of the Municipal Council has promoted Recycling Campaigns in the park of Tejar. Citizens voluntarily deliver their recyclable solid waste to a group of volunteers who classify it and arrange it by type of material in sacks. During the years 2013 and 2014, members of the Manos a la Obra Group, mainly women, were supporting the bi-weekly recycling campaigns for the collection of solid waste in the central park of Tejar.

Figure 12: Recycling campaigns of the Tejar park

Source: Municipalidad de El Guarco During the year 2014, 24 recycling campaigns were carried out in the Tejar park with the support of the members of the Manos a la Obra group, the Environment Commission, and the Asociación Ecologista Nido de Halcón.

5. Final disposal of waste The final treatment site for solid waste collected in the canton of El Guarco is located in "Las Cóncavas" of Cartago at the "Los Pinos" sanitary landfill (relleno sanitario). The sanitary landfill is managed by the company WPP CONTINENTAL de Costa Rica S.A. The landfill receives approximately 300 T/day (Personal Communication David Avilés, Dec 2013) of solid waste coming mainly from the cantons of the province of Cartago. At the facilities of the Los Pinos sanitary landfill, 28 people are working.

The procedure is as follows. The solid waste is placed in cells waterproofed by a layer of thick plastic with a network of pipes that recover the leachate (lixiviados). The solid waste is spread uniformly, compacted, and then covered by another layer of plastic and soil. Chimneys are placed from which the gases produced by fermentation exit. As the gases contain methane, they are burned at the exit of the chimneys.

The leachate (lixiviados) flows down by gravity via the network of pipes and manholes to a treatment plant.

First, aluminum sulfate is added to agglomerate the dissolved substances. Then the leachate passes through a sedimentation area, a resting lagoon, and three other upflow tanks before being discharged into the channel of the Agua Caliente River.

6. Identification of Illegal Dumpsites The illegal dumpsites are located on the edges of roads, bridges, or rivers. The following illegal dumpsites were identified in the canton:

- Guayabal, 200m West of the Church, adjacent to the road heading West - By the bridge over the Reventado River in Sta Gertrudis - By the bridge over the Reventado River in Tejar - By the Dikes on the banks of the Reventado River - North side of the Las Catalinas residential development adjacent to the ditch - From the church of Tejar, 400m south - From the community hall of Los Sauces, 100 m North of the Aguacaliente River - By the Interamericana, from the bridge over the Purires River, 50m north, in front of the scrapyard - By the bridge over the Purires River between Tobosi and Quebradilla - Tablón Road, by the sinkhole (hundimiento) Additionally, there is a large number of vacant lots that serve as clandestine dumpsites.

Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management of El Guarco 2015-2020 42 / 123 Figure 13: Illegal dumpsite adjacent to the Interamericana highway by the bridge over the Purires River Source: Municipality of El Guarco, 2013 3. The aspects of the waste system in your canton 1. Socio-cultural aspects 1. Management customs and habits TABLE 28: DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY DISTRICT ACCORDING TO SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL (2011)

Source: Population Census of Costa Rica (INEC, 2011), Own elaboration Extracted from http://www.ccp.ucr.ac.cr TABLE 29: DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY WASTE SEPARATION, ACCORDING TO DISTRICT (2011)

Note: 1/ Households that separate plastic, glass, aluminum, paper, and food (all of them).

Source: Own elaboration, based on the Population Census of Costa Rica (INEC, 2011).

Extracted from http://www.ccp.ucr.ac.cr 2. Economic-financial aspects 1. Service rates The previous rate for the solid waste collection service (RRS) was 2230¢ for residential and 5580¢ for commercial. The rates were published in Gaceta number 236 of December 6, 2012. The Municipality conducted a study to establish a differentiated rate based on the weight generated by the type of business. It is expected that the rate differentiated by weight and business category will encourage businesses to reduce the weight and volume of solid waste generated.

The current differentiated fees have been applied since 2015 and were published in Gaceta number 208 of October 29, 2014. The solid waste collection and treatment services were differentiated.

ILLUSTRATION 1: DIFFERENTIATED RATES FOR THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT SERVICE FOR THE YEAR 2015

Source: Gaceta n°208 of October 28, 2014 Parallel to the application of the differentiated rate, the separation of solid waste will be promoted in all businesses through the application of the PMGIRS.

The current rate for the Street Sweeping service is 300¢/linear meter. This rate was published in Gaceta number 101 of May 26, 2011.

TABLE 30: NUMBER OF TAXPAYERS AND SERVICES AS OF JANUARY 1, 2014 AND 2015

Source: Municipality of El Guarco, January 2015 As of January 1, 2014, the residential solid waste collection service was being provided to a total of 8912 taxpayers with 9452 services, while as of January 1, 2015, it was provided to a total of 9148 taxpayers with 9691 services. As of January 1, 2014, the commercial solid waste collection service was provided to a total of 919 taxpayers with 969 services, while as of January 1, 2015, it was provided to a total of 967 taxpayers with 1003 services. In 2015, they were divided into six commercial categories according to the weight of solid waste generated. As of January 1, 2014, the street sweeping service was provided to 873 taxpayers with a total street length of 12,140.91 m, while as of January 1, 2015, it was provided to 994 taxpayers with a street length of 13,770.76 m.

41,000,000¢ was allocated, that is, 1.41% of the total budget, to the street sweeping service, while 300,000,000¢ was allocated, that is, 10.43%, to the solid waste collection and treatment service. The total municipal budget for the year 2014 was 2,902,293,306.39¢.

TABLE 31: MUNICIPAL BUDGET AMOUNT FOR STREET SWEEPING AND RRS SERVICES (YEAR 2014)

Source: Municipality of El Guarco, January 2015 2. Income The total income for the street sweeping and solid waste collection and treatment services increased between 2013 and 2014. It went from 39,999,036.64¢ in 2013 to 43,135,307.41¢ in Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management of El Guarco 2015-2020 45 / 123 2015 for the Street Sweeping service, while it went from 262,067,322.99¢ in 2013 to 287,039,457.02¢ in 2014 for the solid waste collection and treatment service.

TABLE 32: TOTAL INCOME BY SERVICE FOR THE YEARS 2013 AND 2014

₡Source: Municipality of El Guarco, January 2015 3. Expenses The total expenses for the year 2014 for the Street Sweeping service reached 64,383,965.01¢, while the total expenses for the solid waste collection and treatment service reached 471,967,971.02¢, that is, 244,631,651.02¢ which corresponds to the actual expenses of the service plus the purchase of two rear-loading collection trucks for an amount of 227,606,320¢.

TABLE 33: TOTAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT SERVICE AND STREET SWEEPING FOR THE YEAR 2014

Source: Municipality of El Guarco, January 2015 4. Delinquency Between 2013 and 2014, the delinquency percentages for both services remained at similar levels. The delinquency percentage for the street sweeping service as of Dec 31, 2013, was 27.7%, while as of Dec 31, 2014, it was 27.4%.

The delinquency percentage for the Solid Waste Collection service between 2013 and 2014 went from 37.3% to 37.5%.

TABLE 34: OUTSTANDING INCOME AS OF THE IV QUARTER OF THE YEARS 2013 AND 2014 ACCORDING TO SERVICE

Source: Municipality of El Guarco, January 2015 3. Legal aspects In Annex 10, the municipal regulation for the organization and operation of the garbage collection and solid waste treatment service can be seen, which was approved in August 1995. In the regulation to Law No. 9237, Law of Municipal Taxes of the canton of El Guarco, the Municipality of El Guarco included as one of the requirements for granting a license having a Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management approved by the Ministry of Health.

Below you can see the detail of the current legislation regarding waste in Costa Rica.

TABLE 35: LIST OF CURRENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS RELATING TO WASTE Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, Law No. 5566 Accession of Costa Rica to the Basel Convention, Decree 23927 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Law No. 7438 Decree 33477-S-MP- Declares of public and national interest, initiatives aimed at providing a comprehensive solution to the waste problem Decree 36590-S- Reform to the Regulation on Sanitary Landfills Decree 33745-S - Regulation on Waste Tires Decree 30965-S - Regulation on the management of infectious-contagious waste generated in establishments providing health care and related services Decree 36093-S - Regulation on the management of ordinary solid waste Decree 35933-S - Regulation for the Integrated Management of Electronic Waste of Costa Rica Decree 36039-S - Regulation for the final disposal of medications, raw materials, and their waste Decree 35906-S - Regulation of Recovery Centers for Recoverable Waste Law for Integrated Waste Management, 8839 Decree 27378 - Regulation on Sanitary Landfills Decree 27002-MINAE - Regulation on the procedure to carry out the extraction test to determine constituents that make a waste hazardous due to its toxicity to the environment Decree 27001-MINAE - Regulation for the Management of Industrial Hazardous Waste Decree 34647-S-MINAE - Approval and declaration of public and national interest of the Solid Waste Plan of Costa Rica (PRESOL) Decree 38272-S - Regulation for the declaration of specially managed waste Decree 37788 - General Regulation for the Classification and Management of Hazardous Waste Decree 37745 - Officializes "Methodology for Studies of Generation and Composition of Ordinary Solid Waste" Decree 37567 - General Regulation to the Law for Integrated Waste Management Source: Dirección de Gestión Ambiental (DIGECA), January 2015 Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management of El Guarco 2015-2020 47 / 123 4. Environmental and health aspects 1. Impacts of solid waste on natural resources The situation regarding the management and final disposal of solid waste in the country has been critical for several years, given that there is a great deterioration of ecosystems, the municipal service is provided but receives a low rating, and the final disposal sites for waste that comply with the respective regulations are the fewest and are already reaching the end of their useful life.

The twelfth State of the Nation report, Soto (2012), textually indicates that "it is estimated that 4500 Tons of Household Solid Waste (RS) are generated in the country per day and about 30% are disposed of without any control in streets, rivers, vacant lots, causing problems such as sewage system clogging, visual pollution, variation in river flow, and environmental deterioration (IFAM - OPS). Because Costa Ricans lack an appropriate environmental culture, ordinary solid waste is mixed at the source with batteries, solvents, remnants of electronic equipment, light bulbs, among others, increasing the hazardousness of the garbage." According to the State of the Nation in its twelfth report, Soto (2012), in rural localities, the situation of solid waste disposal is critical; most Municipalities do not have budgets to properly dispose of their solid waste, and the use of open-air dumps (vertederos a cielo abierto) and dumpsites on the banks of river channels is widespread, where the garbage does not receive any type of treatment, turning the site into a focus of bad odors, generation of undesirable vectors, and emission of leachate and harmful gases. For its part, the collection of "non-traditional garbage" composed of damaged household appliances, old sofas, broken computers, etc., is a problem that has worsened in the last 10 years and with which the Municipalities have to deal, since citizens throw these materials into the street or pay homeless people to remove them from their homes, and finally this garbage is thrown anywhere. It is common to observe non-traditional garbage and remnants of construction materials on corners, mid-streets, vacant lots, and sidewalks, which foster the spread of dengue and other vectors (Al día, Wednesday, October 26, 2005, San José, Costa Rica). The municipal sector, for its part, despite scheduling one or two campaigns per year to collect this garbage, does not achieve a level of communication with users to end these practices.

As indicated by Montalvo (2001), solid waste is a mixture of various organic and inorganic products that constitute a powerful source of health and environmental pollution; the inadequate management of waste and its poor final disposal, in addition to impacting natural resources and the health of populations, directly affects the landscape. To a lesser or greater extent, all production and consumption activities generate waste that impacts the well-being of the community and the environment, Benvenuto (2008). The impact on solid waste creates a problem which requires that we first understand it to then address it, starting from the premise that solid waste is any solid element resulting from consumption or use, which no longer has utility and is rejected, abandoned, or delivered. Its final disposal creates possibilities for it to be used again or transformed into a new solid element, which has economic value again and enters into play in the national, regional, or local market.

Something important that we must be clear about is that at the moment we reject, abandon, or deliver solid waste, it begins a process of biological decomposition by means of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, which can be harmful to the environment and human health. As a product of this decomposition, solid waste can produce bad odors caused by decomposition gases, leachate, or cause the landscape to deteriorate from the point of view of mental and physical recreation. Solid waste has existed since human beings have been present and is produced by the different activities that people carry out daily. As the human being grew socially and became organized into communities, the problem grew without any control, accumulating more and more and, as a consequence, increasing the diseases and pests that proliferate and emerge at different times of the year.

According to (Hoornweg & Bhada-Tata, 2012), poorly managed and inadequately disposed solid waste can be breeding and cultivation sites for parasites and vectors, such as insects and scavenger animals, giving rise to the proliferation of waterborne diseases. An example of this is the case of the aedes aegypti mosquito, transmitter of dengue. Based on epidemiological week 39, for the year 2012 there was an increase in dengue cases compared to 2011, for that week. However, in the year 2013, Costa Rica reached the highest incidence rate of dengue cases in the region, with 40,420 cases reported for that epidemiological week. This is the highest number of dengue cases in history since the nineties. According to the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank, 2010), there are other conditions related to solid waste such as leptospirosis, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory difficulties, and dermal infections, effects that are amplified when the population lacks basic sanitation services. An example of this is what the Contraloría General de la República points out in a 2013 report, which identified 16 cases of disease outbreaks that are estimated to have affected 4,750 people and that could be linked to waterborne diseases. This study was conducted during the years 2010 to June 2012. (Contraloría General de la República, 2013) Environmental impacts are the effects that human activities can cause on the environment and, as a consequence, on the quality of life of a community. The impacts deal with direct risks that threaten people's health, indirect risks constituted by disease vectors, and the environmental effects that cause landscape deterioration and some type of contamination of natural resources (Sakurai 1983). According to INEC, cited in the solid waste management guide (2013), 83.36% of the households surveyed deliver their waste to a collection truck, according to the most recent National Census by INEC. On the contrary, 16.64% are disposing of their waste in holes, vacant lots, rivers, and streams, or burning it.

All these impacts that directly or indirectly can affect well-being arise from the exposure of the community, the operational personnel, the sanitation service, informal workers (generally recyclers), the population that does not have access to the service, or that lives near disposal sites, and in general, from the exposure of the community at large to potentially contaminated or contaminating environmental conditions Acurio et al. (1997). Among the potential effects that inadequate accumulation and disposal of solid waste cause are: fragmentation from the loss and destruction of habitat generated when building the landfill and its complementary works, such as roads, treatment systems, among others Quan & Hui-chao (2009); production of greenhouse gases from the degradation of organic matter disposed of there (Simón & Cristina 2008); soil and water contamination from land-use change and leachate discharge respectively Mueck & Nye (2006); presence of pests associated with the availability of food and environments favorable for reproduction Kettunen & Vuorisalo (2005); bioaccumulation of heavy metals in revegetation processes (Pastor et al. 2007); presence of bad odors and, many times, institutional disinterest and inefficient regulatory oversight Acurio et al. (1997). However, a properly managed sanitary landfill continues to be the most technically viable form for countries like Costa Rica. The human being's relationship with the environment, in relation to the topic of solid waste, has a significant impact on environmental components from the social, economic, political, and cultural context, which we, as inhabitants of planet earth, require to live and relate. This incidence harms elements of nature as vital as life, the main ones being: water resources, air, soil, and landscape.

2. Water resources From the water resources, one can mention surface waters observed in rivers, lakes, lagoons, streams, and oceans; sub-surface waters can be said to be those coming from wells and springs (manantiales); and groundwater, which is that which is very deep and from which wells and springs (manantiales) that emerge to supply entire communities are fed, that is, the aquifers.

Water, under conditions of deterioration, reduces the number of usable sources, raises costs for supplying the resource, favors the proliferation of waterborne diseases, and endangers the balance of ecosystems. In addition to the contamination from wastewater in the country, there is also impermeability of surfaces in urban areas causing high runoff, increasing erosion of riverbanks and the transport of solid waste in water bodies. (Contraloría General de la República, 2013) Surface waters are contaminated by organic matter in the presence of bacteria, microorganisms, and oxygen, which originates acidic compounds, eliminating the vital oxygen for the life of aquatic species; in addition, solid waste contaminates water for human consumption, generating health problems. Another impact to consider is the clogging of channels in rivers and streams by the presence of non-traditional garbage such as bags, mattresses, debris, and any other element that causes a dam in the river or stream, preventing the normal flow of water. In extreme cases, such as floods or torrential rains, these channels are dammed by garbage and produce floods, damage crops, and negatively impact human beings.

Also, the sewage system, mainly in urban or highly populated areas, is blocked with traditional garbage resulting from commercial, residential, and industrial sources, causing floods in the streets and houses of cities.

It is important to take into account the high treatment cost that solid waste requires to be treated properly, being able to use this money for human development, crop irrigation, etc. The high cost for this waste to become useful again for society is very elevated, and worst of all, the communities that demand these resources are the ones that must pay for the service.

The impact on coasts and seas from solid waste not only affects recreational and leisure areas but also the environment, social aspects, and the economy due to the accumulation of uncontrolled garbage. This causes environmental deterioration on coasts and beaches, threatening marine flora and fauna, affecting tourism and economic activities related to fishing, contaminating mangroves, corals, and the aquatic habitat of many species.

3. Atmospheric resources Solid waste, in its natural decomposition process, generates bad odors and gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. These gases contribute to the increase of the greenhouse effect on the entire planet, which contributes to the increase in temperature and generates thawing at the poles. For this, there are currently incineration techniques in some countries, such as in Costa Rica, where through specialized sanitary landfills, solid waste is given proper treatment and final disposal. The sanitary landfill is the most efficient technique for the final disposal of solid waste; however, despite its benefits, it is considered one of the main anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas production. The gases generated by a sanitary landfill are one of its main products and are composed of nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and especially methane Börjesson et al. (2000).

Solid waste management and the production of greenhouse gases are two global and/or local problems Plaza & Pasculli (2005). In all communities of the world, garbage is generated, and this is particularly the organic type that generates greenhouse gases as a product of its natural and inevitable accumulation and decomposition Solórzano (2003). Biogas, under certain conditions, can become toxic and explosive Medina & Jiménez (2001).

When solid waste is burned in an uncontrolled manner and in the open air, it affects the air by generating smoke and particulate matter such as dioxins, many of them carcinogenic for human beings and others affecting the respiratory tract, in addition to the effect on wild flora and fauna and free-living species.

For the year 2009, there was a population of 39,223 inhabitants with an annual solid waste generation of 6,040.8 metric tons with an index of 404.1 tons of CO2 per year, meaning each inhabitant of the Canton of El Guarco emits an average of 10.3 kg CO2 per year. CIPA - ITCR (2009) 4. Soil resources According to experts, this is the resource most affected by the inadequate management of solid waste. The contamination caused occurs through different compounds such as leachate, which seeps into the soil, affecting its productivity and fertility, killing the fauna and microfauna existing in it, such as earthworms, bacteria, fungi, mosses, among others, which contribute to soil fertility. Therefore, this poor management causes a lack of productivity and increases the soil desertification process.

The presence of garbage on the surface layer of the soil prevents the recovery of flora and increases the presence of pests and harmful animals that cause diseases, such as rats, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, and raccoons, among others.

The accumulation and disposal of waste can mainly attract a large number of birds, rodents, and insects Baxter (2000). By offering the food resources of some species, the accumulated material can act to artificially increase the number and density of their populations and therefore alter the local ecology Mueck & Nye (2006) and public health. Biological invasions are considered one of the most difficult environmental threats to face (Parker 2000). There are a series of control measures to deter problem species; however, research on their effectiveness at all sites and for multiple species has been limited Cook et al. (2008).

5. Landscape resources According to Medina & Jiménez (2001), the presence of uncontrolled solid waste is the most evident effect of inadequate solid waste management; the impact on the landscape represented in the aesthetic deterioration of cities and the rural natural landscape is one of the effects easily perceptible by the population (Medina & Jiménez 2001).

The landscape as such is considered one of the least important resources; unfortunately, it is one of the most affected because the constant presence of exposed garbage causes deterioration to the landscape and directly affects human health due to stress, headaches, psychological problems, concentration disorders, decreased work efficiency, and bad mood. These effects, although they may not seem linked to poor solid waste management, affect our quality of life and prevent us from being in harmony with our environment, affecting the community at large. The growing urban development and large concentrations of human populations in big cities generate a deterioration of the landscape and quality of life, often due to a lack of education and culture regarding Integrated Solid Waste Management.

TABLE 36: SUMMARY OF THE IMPACT OF SOLID WASTE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

All activities created by humanity have the potential to produce solid waste, which generates an impact on the environment. For many years, the treatment given to solid waste has been inadequate, and in some places and municipalities, organic waste of natural origin is still mixed with other solid waste of artificial origin such as plastic, glass, and others. However, economic development, industrialization, and the implementation of highly consumerist economic models have contributed to the increase in problems related to solid waste, since new technologies and materials have emerged, such as more resistant plastics, metals, and others, affecting not only the environment but also the socio-economic aspect of a country. Added to this is the generation of hazardous and special solid waste such as batteries, mineral oils, fluorescent lamps, expired medicines, among others, which cause major environmental and health problems.

Sendra (1997) states that well-being can be determined according to the public health situation of a population; understanding health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease and suffering.

4. SWOT of the GIRS in the canton Strengths Weaknesses · 100% coverage of the solid waste collection service in high population density sectors · Solid waste collection service is provided once a week · Solid waste disposal is carried out in a technically controlled sanitary landfill (relleno sanitario) · Service directly managed by the municipality, allowing greater adaptability to the expansion of service coverage and for separate collection · The rate is differentiated for businesses based on the weight of waste produced since 2015, which constitutes a tool to encourage waste separation and recycling · There is a bimonthly recycling campaign in the Parque de Tejar · Since April 2013, the municipality has had a Department of Environmental Management (Departamento de Gestión Ambiental) · The canton's communities show interest in learning about and applying better solid waste management . In human settlements along the Inter-American Highway (carretera interamericana), the collection service is not provided, so the practice of burning and burying waste exists . There is no canton-wide recycling program . There is no formal bulky waste collection program . There is no information campaign or effective communication about solid waste management . The municipal organizational chart is not updated; the Environmental Management and General Services Management departments are conflated . There is a high rate of delinquency . There is no road cleaning program for all districts . The road cleaning service is not self-financing Opportunities Threats . Current legislation allows for the development of Integrated Solid Waste Management models in the country's cantons . The ATJALÁ Center in Quijongo, which could be a strategic option for a center for the collection (centro de acopio) of recyclable waste . Strategic alliances that can be generated with the business sector . The lack of commitment or interest from the members of the Guarco Cantón Limpio Commission for the execution and monitoring of the plan's projects . Changes in local government that may have different priorities from the GIRS . Changes in legislation related to the GIRS Source: Initial diagnosis, Solid Waste Situation, Environmental Protection Research Center (Centro de Investigación en Protección Ambiental), 2009 with contributions from the Municipality of El Guarco, 2015 5. Conclusions Through the technical diagnosis, the challenges of the GIRS in the Canton of El Guarco were revealed. A first challenge for the Municipality is to organize the collection of solid waste in the missing sectors along the Inter-American Highway (carretera interamericana) in order to achieve 100% collection service coverage and thus limit the environmental and health impact of inadequate waste burning and burial practices.

Second, there is great potential for solid waste separation, since according to the composition study, only 25% of the waste is "non-recoverable". 25% is recyclable material and 50% is organic material. Municipalities such as Jimenez and Alvarado are successfully applying separation and differentiated collection of non-recoverable, recyclable, and organic waste. The organic fertilizer produced from organic solid waste is a source of income for these municipalities. This management model helps both to lower waste collection and treatment costs, benefits by extending the useful life of sanitary landfills (rellenos sanitarios), and generates new sources of income. The Municipality of El Guarco can consider solid waste management based on these successful experiences in the province of Cartago.

To achieve consistency and a measurable impact, the PMGIRS can be financed through a percentage of the income from the solid waste collection service, set through the plan's regulation (reglamento). In parallel to the solid waste separation strategy, the Municipality needs to progress in collection and ensure the quality and self-financing of services through continuous improvement of municipal management. A tool to encourage recycling from businesses in the canton is the weight-differentiated rate system. Through the plan's regulation (reglamento), incentives could be applied to reinforce separation and recycling by users.

The collaboration of local stakeholders from all sectors is required to achieve effective separation of solid waste. To achieve citizen motivation, prior education is necessary about the impacts of not separating and the benefits of applying the principles of the GIRS. Therefore, it is necessary to plan coordination between the first phase of education and the second phase of implementing separate collection. The development of a recovery center for recoverable waste and an effective strategy for managing organic waste can be carried out in parallel with the awareness-raising of local stakeholders. The education strategy must be sustained and continuous to achieve a change in culture and have a lasting influence on solid waste management habits, with a view to improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of a growing canton.

Finally, to obtain measurable and lasting changes in the GIRS, the time factor is an indispensable ingredient, so the strategic plan must include achievable medium-term objectives.

II. PARTICIPATORY DIAGNOSIS

Participatory Diagnosis Results Report (Socio-Cultural Aspects) Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management (Plan Municipal de Gestión Integral de Residuos Sólidos, PMGIRS) Canton of El Guarco, Cartago, Costa Rica Facilitation Team Pamela Batista Flores Brandon Cubillo Valerín Verónica Rodriguez Campos Mónica Vargas Hernández School of Social Work (Escuela de Trabajo Social) University of Costa Rica (Universidad de Costa Rica) Supervisor Monserrat Alfaro Moscoso II Semester, 2013 1. Presentation This results report is part of the construction of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, a program whose objective is to promote integrated solid waste management (GIRS) in the Costa Rican context through municipalities; for this specific case, reference will be made to the situation of the canton of El Guarco located in the province of El Guarco (Programa Competitividad y Medio Ambiente, 2008).

In this document, the causes that generate inadequate solid waste management and the consequences arising from this problem will be identified, as well as the intervention strategies assumed from the community and institutional spheres that favor or limit the possibilities of the problem occurring and those that lead to its solution.

In turn, an approximation will be made of the population's capacities to propose alternatives, to articulate, and to prioritize their actions in favor of the protection of natural resources and the quality of life of the people in the communities.

The preparation of the document is based on information from primary sources, gathered through participatory workshops with the committee for the construction of the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (Plan Cantonal de Gestión Integral de Residuos Sólidos), institutional representatives with a stake in the issue, and the residents of the various localities of the canton of El Guarco.

In the first instance, the objectives and methodology that guided the development of the process will be pointed out, followed by the description of the situations that arose in each of the sessions: the macro and micro structural visions regarding solid waste management, the importance of the effective participation of social stakeholders as one of the solutions to the problem, as well as the alternatives that were identified from the perspective of the participants. In the following section, the main findings or results obtained from the elaboration of the Participatory Diagnosis are developed. Thirdly, it concludes with a series of recommendations regarding the situations defined as essential; these emerged from the dialogue with the stakeholders who participated in the process.

2. Objectives In the first instance, it must be established that the actions were carried out jointly with the Committee for the implementation of the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan of said canton, in a process that simultaneously integrated social stakeholders representing various spaces: citizens from the communities, government institutions, grassroots associations and organizations, and other entities.

The action plan responds to a series of general and specific objectives; these are presented in table 38.

TABLE 37: OBJECTIVES OF THE PARTICIPATORY DIAGNOSIS Objectives of the Participatory Diagnosis Execute a Participatory Diagnosis process that rescues key sociocultural elements, based on the construction of the Cantonal Plan for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste in the canton of El Guarco in Cartago.

Emphasize the importance of community participation within the diagnosis process, explaining its general dynamics.

Identify the perceptions, emotions, and criteria of the people of the canton of El Guarco in relation to the solid waste management situation in their communities.

Identify the causes and consequences related to inadequate solid waste management based on the information provided by the people participating in the Participatory Diagnosis workshops.

Provide a space for the participants to create appropriate alternatives for their local space, recovering the results of the previous sessions.

3. Theoretical understandings to guide the process It is considered important to highlight various points that at a theoretical level guided the methodological process of the Participatory Diagnosis that will give rise (along with other stages) to the elaboration and implementation of the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan in the canton of El Guarco.

From the ethical-political position of the facilitation team, the importance of recognizing "[...] individuals, groups, and organizations not as mere passive objects of intervention, but as active subjects and key and necessary protagonists to drive collective change towards the transformation of their unequal, excluding, and unjust realities" was constantly understood (Badilla et al, 2013, p.9).

In effect, it was considered that carrying out this research-action work jointly with the people of the local spaces had to be based on the critical apprehension of reality, in a process characterized by the constant questioning of given facts, which would lead to observing the social totality that surrounds daily life.

In his study on Method and Ontological Foundation, Lessa (2000) mentions that when investigating something unknown, one cannot define with certainty which investigative procedures will be the most appropriate to understand certain social phenomena; however, the author considers that researchers can start from knowledge, experiences with similar objects, and other processes they have undertaken previously.

Following the lines written by the author, the facilitation team considered the need to carry out a series of theoretical understandings that would guide and substantiate the process, without this meaning an a priori practice, but rather an exercise that would guide the technical-operative practices and build an ethical-political project committed to the needs of the subjects of professional intervention.

In this way, a series of general theoretical inputs were taken up that facilitated the understanding of the processes of Participation and the exercises of Participatory Diagnosis. It is worth noting that these concepts were considered as a starting point, and therefore require constant construction and revision.

1. What is understood by participation?

Belonging to the Latin compound "pars" "capio," which means forming part of a collective, the word participation implies an intervention and an action. In this process, citizen participation was understood as the capacity of people to influence processes that affect their own reality.

2. Levels of participation Participation presents several levels, among which can be mentioned in an "ascending" form (thinking of them as a ladder): Participation for manipulation, for decoration, symbolic, for information, for consultation, initiated participation, and decision-making participation (as the highest rung in participation).

True participation (beyond manipulation and symbolism) will be understood in three basic levels. In the first instance, the axis of informative participation, in which people act as recipients of information and are consenting to it. Subsequently, a level of opinion/consultation, in which residents participate by giving their opinion about a resolved provision that requires their approval. And finally, a decision-making level, in which the population actively participates in making decisions, as part of a committee or in a joint elaboration of projects with the respective institutions.

Based on Law 8839 (Ley para la Gestión Integral de Residuos), published on July 13, 2010, in the Diario Oficial La Gaceta, various inputs were available to understand the concept of participation provided by this legislation.

Figure 14: Levels of participation Source: Taken from Artega et al, 2009, p.10 In the first instance, participation is understood as a right, which must be promoted by decentralized institutions and deconcentrated bodies of the State, among them municipalities and public institutions in general. Therefore, the right to citizenship must be propelled by the institutions and not by civil society, but with the goal of awakening in the citizen the desire to exercise their right to participate.

Participation is part of a shared responsibility (Article 5, subsection a), which requires the involvement of producers, consumers, and waste managers. For its part, citizen participation must be guaranteed and promoted by every public institution, which must keep the population informed, aware, and organized, so that it actively participates in decision-making related to environmental improvement (Article 5, subsection h).

The participation of the population and legally constituted organizations, in order to formulate the policy, the plan, and the technical regulations regarding solid waste; must be guaranteed by the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud) and its representatives; as stipulated by this Law.

Furthermore, according to Article 23, the governing body (Ministry of Health), together with the municipalities, must promote citizen participation by forming or assisting in the formation of groups interested in participating in policies and programs related to the theme; and support any group already formed previously that has among its plans the creation of initiatives related to integrated solid waste management.

It should be noted that from the institutions, participation understood in the stages of information and consultation is promoted. Therefore, the citizens who are directly affected by the programs or projects executed by state entities will only be willing to express their point of view, without necessarily affecting the process to be carried out. Consequently, in addition to not representing a true space for participation, the true desires and needs of the communities are violated in many cases.

Participation is the basis for every community process, and at its highest levels, it invites joint decision-making among social stakeholders for the benefit of their own reality.

It is important to emphasize that the Participatory Diagnosis process that was carried out was enriched as it involved the active participation of civil society, which collectively expressed what the needs they perceived were and also the solutions they considered pertinent. It was considered relevant for this process that the members of the Committee for the Implementation of the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan be involved in carrying out the diagnosis, since participation allowed them to deepen their own knowledge of the subject and, at the same time, contrast their own vision with the points of view of other local stakeholders, contributing to broadening their vision of the cantonal problem (Manual for the Elaboration of Municipal Integrated Waste Management Plans, p.69).

The process of collecting and generating information is essential for the formation of the Plan, and its basis is an effective diagnosis, executed jointly 3. What is understood by Participatory Diagnosis?

Upon undertaking the work process with the communities and institutions of the canton of El Guarco to implement the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, it was considered essential to coin a concept that referred to the understanding of Participatory Diagnosis.

In this regard, reference is made to what was stated by the Center for Studies and Publications Alforja (Centro de Estudios y Publicaciones Alforja) when it established that a Participatory Diagnosis is understood as "[...] a method that allows us to analyze reality to know it deeply - in its totality or significant aspects of it - in order to discover possible solutions or to make decisions about the different alternatives presented to us." (p. 3) The Participatory Diagnosis, constituted as the first stage of the Planning process, is a research exercise that allows for an appropriation of reality to understand the problems, circumstances, and actions it poses in such a way that it provides "[...] the necessary knowledge to plan viable solution actions" (Ministry General Secretariat of Chile, 2008, p.3).

Within the formulation of the Cantonal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management, it is considered that it was extremely necessary, as it allowed identifying the general panorama of the communities regarding waste generation and management, identifying the relationships among the various social and institutional stakeholders involved, and observing the various activities carried out in the canton related to the theme, while it allowed for the elaboration of future projections to exercise changes and transformations in favor of community needs (Manual for the Elaboration of Municipal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans, 2008).

Diagnoses (social) are redimensioned when they take on a participatory character; in this process, community organizations, residents, and other members are involved, executing actions to form the community space as a democratic opportunity to exercise broad and active participation.

4. What is the role of communities?

Communities are not merely a "source of information"; on the contrary, since they are the ones who experience the daily situations that occur in their spaces, their action is required throughout the entire process, ranging from the definition of problems to the formulation of conclusions and results.

This is what Díaz (1995) referred to with the self-diagnosis (autodiagnóstico) process, understanding it as that "[...] activity of the community, which organizes itself to thoroughly understand the main problems it faces and to discover their possible solutions. It allows them to know what resources they have, what resources are missing, and where and how to obtain them" (p. 21).

However, it is recognized that for communities to have that empowerment of the various spaces of political participation, it is necessary that there be motivation, interest, and the necessary resources to give continuity and strengthen the processes; from the facilitation team and the committee for the implementation of the PCGIRS, it was assigned as a duty of the ethical-political project that has been formed, the constant need to motivate, inform, and encourage communities in their work of participation, opinion, decision-making, and transformation exercises (Díaz, 1995).

4. Methodology Now, having presented the above, the underlying question was: How to approach the reality of solid waste management in the Canton of El Guarco?

Carrying out the Participatory Diagnosis as a process of approaching and analyzing daily reality required a series of starting points to determine the lines of action to follow; this was done by following a specific work methodology.

In this way, the proposals provided by the methodology of Participatory Action Research (IAP) were taken as a reference. This represents a break with traditional methods of research and teaching, as it seeks to transform the reality of the people involved in the research process, conceiving them as participating and active subjects, capable of reflecting on and modifying the circumstances of their own daily dynamics. The research process and its results are of great benefit to the communities, as they participate in the stages of collection, information, analysis, planning, and intervention in reality (Teppa, 2006).

The IAP has an emancipatory character, as people, through participation, understand their role in the transformation of social reality, developing a critical vision that turns them into agents of change multipliers.

It is important to note that the development of Participatory Action Research processes was carried out through the modality of participatory workshops; these become spaces "[...] of reflection and action in which the aim is to overcome the separation that exists between theory and practice, between knowledge and work, and between education and life (...) the workshop, in summary, can become the place of connection, participation, communication, and therefore, place of social production of objects, facts, knowledge (...)" (Mata 2007 p.13-14).

5.

6. Detailed description of the Participatory Diagnosis process Below is an outline of the events that made up the Participatory Diagnosis process, which includes a series of weekly meetings with the committee and four participatory sessions together with the communities of the canton of El Guarco.

Session I: with the Commission for the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan On Wednesday, October 9, the first workshop was held with the Committee; the facilitation team worked together with the supervisor. In this session, the concept and meaning of the Participatory Diagnosis were deepened, the importance of participation was also addressed, and a discussion was opened about what types of participation can be generated in a process and which one the committee would adopt.

The session began with an icebreaker activity, which consisted of writing a letter mentioning how each person or institution understood planning and participation. From this activity, very important information was collected, where it was observed that most people know what planning is, as it is a situation that forms part of their daily lives. Likewise, it was noted how the committee members value and proclaim participation from the community bases.

Next, a topic that will be present in all stages of the PMGIRS was presented in a lecture format: Planning for participation; the commission members were very interested in learning about this theme.

Then a work technique was carried out (individual and group at the same time). This consisted of making drawings; one group had to build a drawing by observing what their colleagues had built previously, and the other group had to build the drawing without observing what the previous colleague had drawn. When these were analyzed, it was very interesting to observe everyone's perceptions; it was possible to broaden the reflection on teamwork and the construction of common objectives to achieve a safe result. In general, a breadth of very valuable contributions, interpretations, and analyses was observed.

Within the same workshop, a more extensive presentation was given on "What do we understand by Participatory Diagnosis?". The committee members had the basic notions of this process, which allowed for feedback on the discussion, validating their contributions, emphasizing and legitimizing why the Participatory Diagnosis is important for this process.

Then, the topic of participation was deepened. This was done through the targetology technique (colored cards) combined with different puppet scenes where the different types of participation were expressed through real-life cases. Figure n°18 demonstrates the approach taken on this theme.

The participants expressed their enjoyment of the activity and how they managed to understand the topics discussed during this session more broadly. In addition, the importance of genuinely carrying out the diagnosis by promoting participation was emphasized. During this session, the facilitation group was able to understand that work with adults can also be carried out in a playful and creative way, as this innovates the traditional dynamics of presentation and group participation. This situation was recognized by the participants and led to the planning of subsequent sessions being more open and fluid.

The following figures (No. 19 and No. 20) show the development of these techniques.

Session I: with the Commission and the Communities, for the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan This session was held on October 23, 2013, in the Community Hall of Los Sauces located in Tejar de El Guarco, Cartago; it was the first of the four that made up the Participatory Diagnosis.

In this session, an explanation of the process for generating the Cantonal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management was given by the environmental manager of the Municipality.

The people were told how this process began, how the development of the meetings has been, and the importance of the plan and which people are part of the Commission was also discussed in depth.

The first technique consisted of representing, through a socio-drama, what each subgroup thought a diagnosis was. This activity was selected because it allows for an analysis of any topic based on facts from daily life, allows for exploring social events, developing a greater understanding among the participants, while it favors and solves decision-making (Cázares, 2000).

Likewise, each group was provided with props (costumes, wigs, decorations) to energize their performances. The first subgroup exhaustively dramatized the diagnostic process that the municipality and communities are carrying out. They represented when the commission meets and proposes a strategy to evaluate how the communities are doing with respect to the reality of solid waste. Then the commission went to the different communities to observe the visual consequences of pollution, they also took samples, and then they met to discuss how to combat this, and they make decisions once knowing the real situation of the canton.

The second group dramatized how several people from a community polluted the community streets by throwing solid waste, so other people went to report them so they would take responsibility for the actions committed. During the trial, the people who threw solid waste on the street explained that they carried out these acts because they did not know how to correctly separate waste, and they also mentioned that for poor people this is more difficult, since they are always singled out but receive no support.

The third group showed how diagnosis is part of our daily life, since all of us have gone to the doctor so that, based on the symptoms a person presents, a specific disease can be diagnosed. This was represented with the following case: a family having tires with stagnant water and other types of waste in their home, the dengue-transmitting mosquito infected the family's two children, who became seriously ill, and their father and mother took them to the doctor.

The fourth group represented a group of adolescents who attended high school; each one of them had different attitudes and behaviors. Their teacher realized that he needed to know the particularities of his students to be able to work in a better way. This socio-drama represented not only what diagnosis consists of, but also the importance of participation, and how all people are important for a better process, since new ideas and alternatives emerge from the plurality of thought.

Next, the social cartography activity was carried out, distributing to each subgroup a map of each of the districts of the canton of El Guarco: Tejar, Tobosi, San Isidro, and Patio de Agua.

Each subgroup with its respective map had to place aspects such as the location of clandestine dumps, the most visually polluted places, local grassroots organizations, recreational places, pollution hotspots, among other things.

It is important to note that this technique presented a series of difficulties, since being blank maps, it was difficult to locate oneself in each of the spaces; due to this, they were provided with a flip chart sheet so that in this way they could draw the maps according to their perception.

Subsequently, the maps were presented by subgroups, emphasizing the most polluted places, which allowed for a broader discussion among all the attendees.

Session II: with the Commission and Communities, for the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan. This session was held on November 6, in the Tablón Community Hall of El Guarco de Cartago.

Initially, surveys were administered that had to be completed by each person individually; their objective was to obtain information on the practices used by people in solid waste management.

It was observed that people had difficulties completing what was requested; for this reason, a lesson learned was that the working tools in participatory workshops must be simple and understandable, and at the same time, spaces must be created for the feedback of recommendations and concerns presented by the people of the communities.

In a second activity, the group was divided into three subgroups. The first was to build a collage with different materials provided to them. And in their collage, they had to identify the consumption habits of the inhabitants of El Guarco. They were given guiding questions: Why do we consume? What makes us consume? What consumption culture do we have? (See Anexo 11).

The second group had to build a newspaper and therefore it had to contain news related to the following guiding questions: What happens in our homes and in my community? What do I do with my garbage? What practices do I use to get rid of solid waste? (See Anexo 3).

The third group had to build a mural in which the following questions were answered: What can we do with garbage? What do I know about garbage classification? What practices do we know? (See Anexo 11).

It is important to emphasize that in each group, the aim was for each person to make a contribution based on their experiences and perceptions; however, the importance of promoting participation equitably was recognized, as some people, due to age or academic level, did not give their opinions and preferred to follow the directions of others.

However, it is important to recognize the work of the young population during this workshop, as a group of adolescents from various high schools in the canton took leadership of their subgroup, proposed ideas, and put their peers to work. For this reason, it is recommended to continue encouraging the young population of the canton of El Guarco to take a strategic role in this Plan.

Session III: with the Commission and Communities, for the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan This session was held on November 20, in the locality of Palmital de El Guarco. This community is far from the canton's main town (Tejar), and the objective of holding the workshop in a remote location was to allow people from the south to take part and contribute, from their daily experiences, to the participatory diagnostic process.

However, only one person from this community showed up. When asked for the reasons, she assured that everyone knew about the session; however, they did not want to attend because it is not a topic that interests them directly. Given this situation, it is important to improve communication channels with the inhabitants of these communities and to encourage an awareness-raising process so that, through participation, they can recognize the consequences of inadequate solid waste management and can make their contributions and constructions.

Through a presentation with photographs, the development of the previous sessions was presented, stressing that this session was a pause along the way to provide feedback to the community and validate the information analyzed. Furthermore, the goal was to build and generate alternatives for the causes of the problems identified in the previous sessions.

Subsequently, feedback was given on the information gathered in the first two sessions. It is important to note that the information obtained was analyzed using a systematization tool called the Problem Tree, which allows for the identification of a central problem and the organization of facts through a model of cause and effect relationships (Martínez et al., n.d.).

This technique was selected due to the ease with which it allows information to be categorized while discussions can be developed creatively, opening a space to complement what was initially observed.

A systematization, categorization, and analysis of the information is carried out around a specific problem (placed on the trunk), then the causes are located (which correspond to the roots of the tree), and likewise, the consequences generated by this problem are pointed out (determined by the crown and branches of the tree) (Martínez et al., n.d.).

The discussion was broadened by offering the options of strengths (indicated by water drops) and threats (represented by the axe). For a better understanding, this form of organization is shown in Figure No. 25.

Figure 25: Diagram of the Problem Tree used in the Diagnostic Workshops

According to the above, a main problem was identified, which at the same time became the basis of the analysis: The poor management of solid waste. Based on this central axis, the causes and consequences revolving around it were determined. Consequences Central Problem Causes Alternatives Threats Strengths After this presentation, the people were subdivided into three subgroups so that, after having heard what was captured in the Problem Tree, they could propose threats and possible alternatives to solve the poor management of solid waste.

The final result of this activity can be seen in the following figures:

Session IV: with the Commission and Communities, for the Cantonal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan This was the last session of the participatory diagnostic and was held on December 4, in the Los Sauces Community Hall located in Tejar de El Guarco de Cartago.

It is important to point out that on this day, those people who live in Tejar or Tobosi who attended the first meetings and were unable to or did not attend the other sessions rejoined.

The main technique of this session aimed to delve into the alternatives proposed in Session III. This technique consisted of a previously prepared board game called "Snakes and Ladders," in which questions were placed related to the alternatives proposed in previous sessions.

In this way, the participating subgroups had to answer them as a group; however, the other groups also participated in the answers.

The questions asked were the following (Figure No. 29); the answers obtained became a foundation for the analysis of the main findings.

How to involve the community in the process?

How to sustain the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan?

How to strengthen the Manos a la Obra group?

How to improve communication between communities?

Actions to encourage the participation of children and youth in ISWM?

Are collection centers a solution?

Are reports/denunciations a solution?

How to improve the garbage collection service?

Where to locate collection centers?

What type of training could be received?

Is recycling the only solution? What type of campaigns?

With what objective?

FIGURE 29: QUESTIONS ASKED IN THE SNAKES AND LADDERS DYNAMIC This technique extended considerably due to the discussion, which was very positive, as people expressed their opinions and were building more alternatives. This shows that, over the course of the sessions, the participants managed to mature in their opinions and make assessments about what was happening in their canton, transcending immediate solutions, such as, for example, collection centers or recycling, and deeply understanding viable and real alternatives.

Because this technique extended beyond the estimated time, the facilitating group agreed not to conduct the nominal group technique. To conclude, a reflection was made on the socio-environmental issue, but above all on how people are also actors in reality and can intervene in it, and that they also possess knowledge and power that allows them to make decisions that can influence the building of a better future.

7. Main results obtained during the process In this section, the main findings of the workshops that comprised the Participatory Diagnostic will be presented. As mentioned previously, the information developed in this document comes from the knowledge, experiences, wisdom, concerns, and critiques of the people who live in or are involved with the situations related to solid waste management in the canton of El Guarco.

1. Location of illegal dumpsites, collection centers, and scrapyards In the first instance, as part of the elements that the Manual for the Preparation of Municipal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans presents as necessary to implement changes at the cantonal level on the topic of solid waste, the location of the illegal dumpsites, collection centers, and scrapyards that the participants located in each of the districts of El Guarco will be indicated in a detailed manner (this information was obtained through the Social Cartography technique in Diagnostic Session I).

This aspect is as fundamental as it is difficult to identify; the participants did not know the exact address of the dumpsites but assured their existence. Dumpsites in Tejar and on the road to San Isidro were identified very specifically, without knowing the exact location.

District 1: Tejar In this district, the following illegal dumpsites were identified:

Near "Guayabal," "the road that goes to Guayabal where the cars and trucks carrying garbage to the dumpsite pass." In Cinco Pinos (Tejar Arriba).

Edges of the road that goes towards Corralillo, "almost arriving at Corralillo where there are coffee plantations with bits of broken glass thrown away." In the community of El Dique.

Likewise, the participants identified the following collection centers and scrapyards: "Near Quijongo where the Alcal workshop is, there is a scrapyard." "By Mega-Super, near the Industrial Park area, there at the entrance of Santa Gertrudis, there is a collection center." "We go to the schools that have small recycling programs." District 2: San Isidro In this district, the following illegal dumpsites were identified:

The edge of the road, the banks of the paths (the road to Higuito or Guatuso is full of garbage).

San Isidro, "near the little bridge, almost arriving at San Isidro, there is a dump there by the bridge." District 3: Tobosí In this district, the following illegal dumpsites were identified:

Road to Carrillo and road to Tobosí on the mountain.

Vacant lots (the participants did not specify which ones).

"On the unlit gravel road." "It is found in all the rivers." "Almost all over the city, garbage accumulates on every corner." District 4: Patio de Agua At the time of the workshop, no people who lived in or knew this district attended, so there is an information gap regarding the situation of this local area.

2. Findings from the surveys on solid waste management Likewise, with the objective of gaining insight into the individual perceptions of each of the participants, a survey was conducted, specifically oriented towards the socio-cultural aspects regarding solid waste management (See Survey in Anexo 2).

It is important to note that the information was divided into three groups according to the localities of the canton of El Guarco.

The first group corresponds to the district of Tejar. It is composed of 11 people who completed the instrument: Six women aged 13, 24, 32, 45, 49, and 50 years. Five men aged 16, 31, 47, 58, and 60 years.

The second group was composed of the inhabitants of the district of Tobosi. It is composed of 10 people who completed the instrument: Five women aged 13, 22, 26, 36, and 41 years. Two men aged 51 and 63 years. And three people who did not indicate their sex, aged 33, 39, and 52 years.

The third group is composed of people from different local areas: San Isidro, Barrio Asís, Guadalupe de Cartago, Agua Caliente, Sabana Grande, Barrio Nuevo, and Higuito. This group will be called "Other localities." Composed of seven women aged 14 years, 28 years, three people aged 46 years, 59 years, and one woman who did not specify her age. Four men aged 27, 35, 46, and 74 years. And one person aged 58 who did not specify their sex.

Regarding the first question, which referred to the cleanliness of streets in the neighborhoods, the following information was obtained:

TABLE 38: EL GUARCO, DISTRIBUTION OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO RATE THE CLEANLINESS OF STREETS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS

Source: Own elaboration based on interviews conducted with the participants.

As can be observed, one person in Tejar rates street cleanliness as deficient; this person mentions that it is the neighbors themselves who end up performing this task.

Regarding the district of Tobosi, two people mention that the river is very polluted, and one person says that even if the streets are cleaned, people continue to throw garbage, and that most of the products they throw away are materials that can be recycled or reused.

In the Other localities category, the person from Agua Caliente mentions that the municipality charges them for the service but that there are no collectors. Regarding Barrio Asís, it is mentioned that people take out the garbage a day before its collection and that dogs and homeless people then scatter it. Regarding the situation in Higuito, it is mentioned that people continue to throw garbage on the street. One person mentions that there are few collection days, that collection is disorderly and poorly strategized.

Likewise, through the second question, the amount of solid waste bags generated in each house over a one-week period was investigated, simultaneously asking about the size of each of these bags.

Based on what was reported by people living in the district of Tejar, it was observed that:

Based on what was reported by people living in the district of Tobosi, it was observed that:

Based on what was reported by people from Other localities, it was observed that:

*Note: One house generates 2 bags of solid waste; the size was not indicated.

On the other hand, through a third question, the type of solid waste most generated in their homes was investigated; these, in order of importance, are placed in the following order:

Figure 30: Order of importance of solid waste generation Source: Own elaboration Based on this sample, a relationship can be observed between the waste generation situation of the inhabitants of El Guarco and the national context, as it was observed during the first Plan information session (held on July 24, 2013) that organic waste is the most produced in the country. This can be corroborated by what is presented in the National Waste Guide ¡¿Diay Jacinto?! (2012), which mentions that 55% of household waste is organic.

A fourth question was asked to find out how many people (among the attendees) separated waste in their homes for later recycling. The following results were obtained:

FIGURE 31: NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT SEPARATE SOLID WASTE FOR RECYCLING

Source: Own elaboration based on survey results.

From the above, it can be inferred that among the participants there is an awareness regarding solid waste management; this is an important fact as it shows that knowledge and willingness exist that would facilitate the implementation of the PCGIRS. Likewise, it is important to note that in the three groups: Tejar, Tobosi, Other localities, what is separated most is paper/cardboard waste, then plastic and glass.

A fifth question tried to find out among the participants: To whom do people give the recyclable material?

In this regard, the inhabitants of the district of Tejar mentioned that:

The 2 remaining people did not answer this question* Based on what was reported by people living in the district of Tobosi, it was observed that:

The remaining person did not answer this question* Based on what was reported by people from Other localities, it was observed that:

A sixth question was asked to try to find out what happens with solid waste that is not collected.

In this regard, in the district of Tejar, the following data was found:

The 5 remaining people did not answer this question* The participants from the district of Tobosí mentioned:

The 7 remaining people did not answer this question* The participants from the Other localities district mentioned:

The remaining 7 people did not answer this question*.

One final question was asked, inquiring about people's knowledge regarding the collection of non-traditional waste; consequently, the following data was found:

Source: Own elaboration, based on the results of the surveys conducted.

In Tejar, they mention that it is the municipality that provides the non-traditional waste collection service; two people mention that it is provided twice a year, one person mentions more than three times a year, and the other person says they do not know the frequency.

In Tobosi, they mention that the people from the Grupo Manos a la Obra collect this waste and that it is done more than three times a year.

In other localities, three people mention that it is a private service that handles this waste, and one person mentions that it is the municipality but does not know the frequency.

Having presented the results, it is important to note that when conducting this survey, there was no pretense of defining the numerical percentages as an exact picture of reality. Likewise, the instrument was executed as part of a Participatory Diagnostic, without knowing the number of participants from each region beforehand; therefore, the information collected is truthful, but not representative in terms of waste separation or recycling issues.

To address this gap, it is important to contrast the information with a more extensive analysis, carried out in a census-like manner in the different communities, taking a representative sample of them. However, valuable information could be taken from the applied instruments, such as the most produced waste and the location of clandestine dumpsites.

Also highlighted is the participation (limited or moderate) of the municipality regarding the collection of non-traditional waste, in contrast to the action of institutional groups (Manos a la Obra), and some unspecified private entities.

3. Analysis using the Problem Tree

Through the Problem Tree technique, it was defined that the central problem underlying the waste issue is its inadequate management. Through various techniques, discussions, material creation, and feedback, the following causes and consequences were identified.

Inadequate consumption practices (consumerism) According to the information discussed in the workshops, the participants established a series of relationships between consumption practices and the impacts on production and subsequent management.

It was defined that there is a direct link between the generation of solid waste and situations experienced daily, such that they identified social pressure and an advertising bombardment as factors that create a need in the population to acquire products that do not specifically correspond to the satisfaction of biological needs, but that are understood as indispensable for positioning oneself favorably in the social sphere.

There was talk, then, of a "sense of belonging," in which the human being wishes to insert themselves and be accepted in their social circles through the products they consume or do not consume. This was also related to overproduction, where companies manufacture products indiscriminately without evaluating market needs or socio-environmental impacts, which is compounded by a general lack of knowledge among the population about how companies produce and give subsequent treatment to the manufactured products.

Lack of knowledge about waste management practices The residents of the canton of El Guarco who took part in the Participatory Diagnostic expressed with concern their lack of knowledge regarding adequate solid waste management.

Consequently, "not knowing what to do with the garbage" led them to constantly propose collection centers as the only solution to the problem. From these discussions, the importance of these centers was recognized as progress in terms of waste administration and treatment; however, their implications were also raised, as they are a further sign of immediate practices regarding solid waste management, which fail to establish a true questioning of the impacts of what people generate.

For this reason, from the various discussions held, the need to address this situation from various angles, including environmental education—identified as essential to resolve this situation—is expressed.

Existence of a "throwaway culture":

The lack of education regarding solid waste management is related to the lack of awareness about actions and their impacts on the environment; these take on meaning within a society characterized by the pursuit of the easy and the quick.

It was observed that this is related to a structural phenomenon, which responds to the relationship between the human being and nature, taking the latter into account only as an exploitable resource, for the benefit of a human being who sees themselves as superior.

Not Assuming Responsibilities Regarding the assumption of responsibilities, a shifting discourse is observed, since in the first instance it is possible to visualize positions that place everyone as participants in the process because "the planet belongs to everyone"; however, when it comes to taking action, the responsible party is not entirely clear.

Thus, the limited action of institutions in the solid waste management (gestión de residuos sólidos) process is widely noted, while at the same time this responsibility is transferred from the people who consume and produce the waste, to the industries and companies that manufacture and do not give adequate treatment to their products.

The municipality (municipalidad), as local government, is held responsible for waste collection, despite not being the only or main generator of it. In addition, it is said that the "new generations" are responsible for fighting for a better environment, which excuses certain age groups from responsibility, groups that, despite having a strong share of responsibility as consumers, do not fully accept it. In this way, it is understood that "he who produces more, has more responsibility"; the problem is not understood in an integral way.

Los Diques?

There is a tendency to establish a relationship between poverty, the generation of solid waste, and pollution. However, this relationship, far from being the responsibility of people considered to be in a state of poverty, is permeated by a series of socio-economic and political problems that generate social issues directly linked to poor living conditions, and that focus on sectors of the population in situations of vulnerability.

During the discussions held, the area of "Los Diques" in the canton of El Guarco was identified as a territorial focal point linked to delinquency, drug addiction, and garbage. Regarding this last aspect, a reflection was carried out with the workshop participants, which resulted in a problematization of this social fact, a situation that led to the understanding that solid waste in the Los Diques area is not only produced by the community, but that it is a large "clandestine dump (botadero clandestino)" where both the inhabitants of the area and a large majority of external agents can place their waste without any responsibility or social reprisal.

Other problems related to economic and agricultural activities were identified, along with changes in traditional forms of production, and urban growth that causes a rise in the demands for different services, which in turn have repercussions on the environment. Furthermore, a distinction was made regarding the quality of collection services by zone, depending on their remoteness, their road conditions, and other characteristics that presented themselves as limitations for an effective fight against the central problem.

Likewise, a series of consequences arising from the general problem were identified, categorized in the following aspects: Visual space, the economy, and health.

These three areas affected by poor waste management were those that the communities identified, arguing direct damage to the inhabitants' health (from diseases such as dengue fever, effects on subjectivity).

There is an effect on the agricultural and tourism economy, a situation that is influenced by the change in the landscape and visual field deteriorated by the problem.

These causes constitute the general line of how the community perceives its reality, in terms of the socio-cultural and socio-environmental aspects related to the issue of solid waste management in the canton.

4. Construction of Alternatives and Solutions Based on a feedback session of these results to the community, in both the third and fourth sessions of the Participatory Diagnosis (Diagnóstico Participativo), the following alternatives and solutions were generated by the participants. A systematization of them is carried out below.

Collection Centers (centros de acopio) The collection centers were initially presented as the only solution for the solid waste problem. Through the discussion process, this perception was modified and deepened, as the participants concluded that collection centers cannot be an alternative without people first knowing how to manage waste, that is, being sensitized about what they are generating.

Regarding collection centers, two different options are proposed:

The first is to place these centers in populated cities, so that a minimum number of them are created. It was also proposed to create several decentralized collection centers, so that they allow access for more people from different areas.

Furthermore, the option is raised of using parks or lands in the selected localities for their construction, or in any case, using them as periodic collection points for materials. Despite all this, the high economic costs necessary for the maintenance of these collection centers are recognized, which is why alternatives such as special and differentiated garbage cans and containers according to the type of waste or discards are proposed.

Likewise, it was deemed necessary to expand environmental education (educación ambiental) topics to households in the different communities.

Training Sessions (Capacitaciones) During the sessions, many of the participants believed they were in a training session; likewise, their need to obtain greater knowledge on the subject was recurrent. Therefore, it was considered important to ask the residents of El Guarco what the focuses of the training sessions would be. The following topics were obtained, presented in Figure No. 33.

Figure 33: Training Topics Source: Own elaboration Recycling The participants recognized that recycling is neither the only nor the first option to improve poor solid waste management. Remembering the "3 R's"—the first being Reject, the second Reuse, and the last Recycle—reuse and environmental education were proposed as priority options.

Education for the young population Production of organic fertilizer Separation and recycling Management of special waste (residuos especiales) Elaboration of management guides for various materials Regarding the role of the young population in the issue of solid waste and the construction of the PCGIRS (Cantonal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management), it was mentioned that there must be an emphasis on education processes regarding the correct management of solid waste; however, it was mentioned that it is essential for this knowledge to begin at home, since it is in the family nucleus where the values of minors are affirmed.

In the school environment, it is thought that with the correct motivation (even from an unconscious level, where the children do not really contemplate the established subject as the final goal), young people would participate in reuse and recycling programs. It is considered necessary to have a visual reference that motivates and raises awareness among the institutional hierarchies of educational centers, so that they see a result and do not abandon the processes.

Complaints (Denuncias) The participants mentioned that complaints are not effective due to the fact that in most cases they are not addressed; or due to the complainant's fear, which refers to a "cultural" aspect in which the affected person would be the one making the complaint, as they would be a victim of reprisals from their neighbors or involved institutions; coupled with the fact that anonymity is not valid in a complaint.

Given this worrying situation, the participants proposed as effective solutions the imposition of fines, a new complaint system where all data is provided, and dissemination and information processes so that people know where they can file a complaint.

Campaigns (Campañas) Likewise, within the discussions the importance of carrying out campaigns during all action stages of the PCGIRS was considered. The following topics were prioritized:

Information, education for the people, sensitization, concrete actions, redistribution, solid waste collection processes Collection of Solid Waste One of the topics of most interest to the inhabitants of the canton of El Guarco relates to the collection of solid waste. It was also mentioned that to eradicate the problem, an improvement in the solid waste collection service is needed, and the following recommendations were made:

Carry out the collection service more than twice a week, simultaneously responding to the demand from the industrial and commercial sectors, which must store their waste for a week until a new collection period.

Consider remote spaces, and establish collection periods for these towns.

Carry out separate collection for garbage and other waste.

Carry out collection during nighttime hours, to prevent bags from being left outside the home and attacked by dogs or searched by independent collectors.

Provide timely information when the collection service will not be carried out.

Means to Promote Community Participation For people and communities to get involved and actively participate in the Plan, the creation of local support committees, similar to the former ECOs (Community Health Educators, Educadores Comunitarios de Salud), is proposed. Furthermore, the promotion of cultural activities and joint work with the ASADAs (since the water issue is crucial and affects the general population) are proposed as strong options. Dissemination methods can even be carried out through religious calls, appealing to the Catholicism of the area. Personal commitment, taking responsibility in the process, and ownership of the issue are some measures to sustain the plan from the individual level, and to remain as participatory actors in it.

Improvements in Communication With a view to fluid communication, the idea that the entity responsible for guaranteeing it is the Development Associations (Asociaciones de Desarrollo) is maintained. This would be through easily accessible newspapers, text messages, social networks, or a committee with institutional representation.

It should be noted that these alternatives originated from the community itself, and from an exhaustive review of the causes that originated the main problem and the inadequate management of solid waste. In this way, it is guaranteed that these solutions are not foreign to the reality of the canton, but rather respond directly to the needs and concerns of its inhabitants.

8. Recommendations During the diagnostic process, various causes related to the inadequate management of solid waste were identified, among which high importance was assigned to the lack of environmental education and the ignorance of waste management practices by people in the community. In this way, the strong need is envisioned to start training sessions and workshops, where different alternatives for managing their waste are reflected upon, made aware, and taught to people. In this space, Social Work could intervene by technically supporting the development of workshops on socio-environmental matters, strengthening community bases, political advocacy, and citizenship building.

Currently, the construction process of the PMGIRS (Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management) is in an initial stage (Diagnosis), and despite its rapid progress, it is clear that some more time will be needed to refine technical details and present a comprehensive plan to the municipality. During this time, it is important for the committee to remain in contact with the people participating in the diagnoses, to involve them and give them ownership of the process, which is why it is recommended to open spaces with these people where elements concerning participation, community organization, leadership, empowerment, and other elements can be strengthened, allowing them to take ownership of the project and remain in its development.

Also, strategically, the dissemination methods used to convene people from the communities could vary. This, based on the experience lived in the Palmital Workshop, which revealed, through its low attendance, how communication via the internet or through letters is not always the most suitable. Other creative dissemination methods can be used, such as activities in public spaces, where fairs, talks, street parades, and games could be held to attract people's attention and motivate them to participate in the project. It is also important to take into account that any proposal that arises must be presented in a simple and accessible manner, so that everyone can understand it and be part of the process, with the aim of making it as inclusive as possible.

Another important element is to promote and strengthen the construction of alliances and networks among the different actors, both institutional and community-based, to give momentum to the Waste Management Plan. It is important that actions cease to be isolated and that there is communication about the activities carried out among the actors. For this, one could advocate for the construction of a plan where different activities and actions are scheduled, which can be carried out from different fronts but always aiming for common objectives.

Actors such as the Ministry of Health, the MEP, Asadas, the Zonal Union, and others have currently accompanied the project. They can bring the Plan to their spaces and jointly organize to promote actions, such as campaigns, fairs, and training sessions. A key ally is the Ministry of Public Education (Ministerio de Educación Pública), since through it, information and training can be brought to educators and students. Eventually, through the MEP, schools could be recommended to take into account, as an action axis for the community service work of high schools, matters related to waste management, where students could take direct actions.

Another important element is the considerable participation and interest that women have had in the process, which has been reflected by their presence within the diagnostic workshops carried out. A high number of working women from the "Programa de Manos a la Obra" who are part of the community, and other independent residents, attended these sessions. It is essential to rescue the voices of these women and take advantage of the space to work with them on political advocacy issues, recognizing the particularities that their construction of gender identity determines.

III. PLANNING

The Guarco Cantón Limpio Commission worked on the following aspects of planning with the support of students from the School of Social Work of the University of Costa Rica. Under the supervision of Professor Montserrat Alfaro Moscoso, third-year students Isabel Cordero Arias and Gerald Monge Morales participated throughout 2014 in the commission's work sessions in order to provide a group reflection and criteria related to strategic planning. The Guarco Cantón Limpio Commission is not only the commission in charge of preparing the plan but is also in charge of its execution and monitoring, which is why it was taken into account for the elaboration of the mission and vision.

1. Scope The Municipal Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management (Plan municipal de Gestión Integral de los Residuos Sólidos) is established for a period of 5 years, from 2015 to 2020. The Plan covers the entire canton; however, the projects will be carried out gradually, prioritizing the sectors and local actors with the greatest need for support in solid waste management.

2. Values The following values transversally guide the actions of the Guarco Cantón Limpio commission for the execution of the PMGIRS.

· Change: we seek the cultural transformation of GIRS (Integrated Solid Waste Management) · Commitment: we adopt an ethical-moral obligation that encompasses the responsibility of local actors, before new generations. · Cooperation: we work as a team sharing the common interest in the health of the population and the conservation of the environment. · Motivation: we always keep in mind the importance of each action we carry out as a team, oriented to meet our goals and objectives. · Respect: We appreciate human life and the environment in general. Additionally, we take into account the contribution of all social actors involved without discrimination of differences. · Responsibility: we consciously assume our work as a local organization, regarding the Integrated Management of Solid Waste in the Canton of El Guarco. · Solidarity: through the protection of the environment, our efforts at the individual level benefit society. · Transparency: we share and render accounts in a clear and accessible manner to local actors about the processes of the strategic plan.

3. Mission The Guarco Cantón Limpio commission aims to lead the strategic plan that seeks the cultural transformation of solid waste management through sensitization, proactive participation, commitment, integral development, and human promotion directed at the inhabitants, the local government, and its actors.

4. Vision By the year 2020, the canton of El Guarco will have efficient solid waste management that involves motivated and empowered inhabitants and local actors to preserve the environment and the health of the population, through the accompanying actions of the Guarco Cantón Limpio Commission.

5. General Objective To develop processes of cultural transformation of solid waste management through the cooperation of the inhabitants, the local government, and its actors for the integral development of the Canton of El Guarco.

6. Projects PROJECT 1: Strengthening of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Process of the Municipality 1. Strengthen Environmental Management 2. Strengthen Service Management 3. Improve the effectiveness of the Ordinary Solid Waste Collection Service 4. Improve the effectiveness of other municipal services 5. Strengthen Collection Management 6. Strengthen the Guarco Cantón Limpio Commission 7. Promote integrated solid waste management PROJECT 2: Continuous Communication on Integrated Solid Waste Management 1. Create direct communication channels with the Municipality 2. Disseminate information about GIRS PROJECT 3: Education Program in Integrated Solid Waste Management 1. Define the education strategy for the various local actors: Educational Centers, Organized Groups, Institutions, Businesses, Farmers, Industries, and the Community 2. Train promoters in GIRS 3. Carry out the GIRS education program aimed at educational centers with the support of GIRS promoters 4. Carry out the GIRS education program aimed at organized groups and institutions with the support of GIRS promoters 5. Carry out the GIRS education program aimed at businesses, farmers, and industries with GIRS promoters 6. Carry out the GIRS education program for the Community with GIRS promoters 7. Encourage integrated solid waste management activities PROJECT 4: Creation of the Cantonal Center for the Recovery of Recoverable Waste (Centro Cantonal de Recuperación de Residuos Valorizables) 1. Obtain the different permits and inputs necessary for the operation of the center 2. Create a cooperative of women leaders in solid waste management 3. Make an agreement between the municipality, the Atjalá association, and the cooperative 4. Put the collection center (centro de acopio) into operation PROJECT 5: Management of Organic Solid Waste (Residuos Sólidos Orgánicos) 1. Analyze the available options for organic solid waste management 2. Obtain the different permits and inputs necessary for the operation of the plant 3. Make an agreement, a strategic alliance, or a bidding process for the administration of the composting plant 4. Put the composting plant into operation 5. Promote alternatives for organic solid waste management PROJECT 6: Separate Collection of Solid Waste 1. Establish and develop a collection strategy for recoverable solid waste 2. Establish and develop a collection strategy for special management solid waste (residuos sólidos de manejo especial) 3. Establish and develop an adequate sanitary procedure for the handling and disposal of dead animals 8. Monitoring and Evaluation Semi-annual monitoring of each project will be carried out in order to assess the need to adapt the actions to achieve the stated objectives. The results will be analyzed every year to evaluate the strategy and the expected changes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Artega, J; et all. (2009). Mis notas de Participación. Departamento de Participación Ciudadana. ALCOBENDAS. Obtained from www.alcobendas.org Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica. (2010). Ley para la Gestión Integral de Residuos. Published in the Diario La Gaceta. Obtained from: http://www.ley8839.go.cr/index.php/32-ley-8839- para-la-gestion-integral-de-residuos Badilla, A et al. (2013). II Informe Fundamento Teórico Metodológico. Práctica Académica de III Nivel TS-0043 Taller I: Organización Local y Construcción de Ciudadanía. Unpublished Material. San José, Costa Rica: Universidad de Costa Rica.

Díaz, C. (1995). El diagnóstico para la participación. Colección construyendo gestión y poder local. San José, Costa Rica: Centro de Estudios y Publicaciones ALFORJA.

Martínez, R., Fernández, A. (s.f). Árbol de problemas y áreas de intervención. CEPAL. Obtained from: http://www.corporativosocialac.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Arbolproblemasyobjetivos.pdf Programa Competitividad y Medio Ambiente. (2008). Manual para la Elaboración de Planes Municipales de Gestión Integral de Residuos (PMGIRS).1 ed. San José, Costa Rica. Recovered from http://ns2.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index.php/sobre-el-ministerio/politicas-y-planes- ensalud/doc_view/1058-manual-para-la-elaboracion-de-planes-municipales-de-gestion-integral- deresiduos-solidos-octub-2008 Subsecretaria General de Gobierno Chileno. Elaboración de Diagnostico Participativos. Serie: Participación Ciudadana para una mejor democracia. Recovered from http://www.gobiernoabierto.gob.cl/sites/default/files/biblioteca/Serie_5.pd f Teppa, S. (2006). Desarrollo del aprendizaje creativo y el pensamiento crítico a través de la investigaciónacción participativa y el "contacto con la comunidad. Obtained from: http://scholar.google.co.cr/ Internet pages consulted http://recursostic.educacion.es/secundaria/edad/3esobiologia/3quincena4/3quincena4_contenidos_2d.htm Consulted online on January 13, 2014 http://datateca.unad.edu.co/contenidos/358012/ContLin/leccin_5_impactos_ambientales_y_de_salud_pblic a.html. Consulted online on January 13, 2014 http://www.uned.es/biblioteca/rsu/pagina1.htm#Cabecera. Consulted online on January 13, 2014 http://www.ecofueguina.com.ar/contaminacion.htm. Consulted online on January 13, 2014 http://www.costaricareciclaje.com/esp/articulos_reciclaje/desechos_solidos_en_costa_rica.php. Consulted online on January 13, 2014.

http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/pdf/JacintoMEM_web.pdf. Consulted on January 20, 2013. http://www.estadonacion.or.cr/files/biblioteca_virtual/012/Gestion_residuos_solidos.pdf. Consulted on January 20, 2013.

ANNEXES

| EBAIS TEJAR ORIENTAL | LOCALITIES | | --- | --- | | | Hacienda Vieja | | Classification of Dwellings: # 1585 | El Silo | | | Tejar Oriental: Block #9- #10- #11-#12-#13-#14 | | | Ana Lucia | | Total Population: # 5904 | Villa Foresta | | | El Guarco | | | Jardines de Agua Caliente | | | María Rosario | | EBAIS TEJAR OCCIDENTAL | LOCALITIES | | Classification of Dwellings: # 1461 | La Asunción | | Total Population: # 5256 | Los Sauces | | | Tejar Oriental: Block #2-#3-#4-#5-#6-8-#9-11-#12-18-#19-21-#22-#25-26-#27-#28-#29-#30-#31-#15-#14-30 | | EBAIS BARRIO NUEVO | LOCALITIES | | | Residencial La Fundación | | Classification of Dwellings: # 2332 | Santo Cristo | | | Residencial El Cacique | | | Residencial La Antigua | | Total Population: # 6759 | Residencial Los Cafetos | | | Residencial Los Zorzales | | | Guayabal | | | Premio Novel | | EBAIS TOBOSI | LOCALITIES | | | Tobosi | | Classification of Dwellings: # 1430 | Barrancas | | | Palp Blanco | | | Entrada Tobosi | | Total Population: # 5505 | Calle Sabanilla | | | Bodocal | | EBAIS SAN ISIDRO | LOCALITIES | | | Higuito | | Classification of Dwellings : # 1702 | San Isidro | | | Casa Blanca | | | Guatuso | | EBAIS EMPALME | LOCALITIES | | | La Esperanza | | Classification of Dwellings: # 1284 | Macho Gaff | | | EL Cañón | | | La Damita | | Total Population : # 4215 | Alta Mirada | | | La Choncha | | | El Empalme | | | La Luchita | | | Vara del Roble | | | La Paz | | | Palmitar Sur | | | Palmitar Norte | | | Casa Mata | | | La Estrella | | | Santa Clara | | | La Cangreja | | | Palo Verde |

| CHURCH | LOCATION | REPRESENTATIVE | CONTACT | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 Centro Cristiano de Adoración y Misericordia | Las Catalinas | Carmen Cascante Sánchez | 2572-0168 8348-88-82 | | 2 Iglesia Testigos del Poder de Dios | Tobosi | José Luis Alvarado Brenes | 2573-3969 | | 3 Salón Reino de los Testigos de Jehová | Tejar | Edgar Navarro Brenes | 7012-5098 | | 4 Asociación Centro Restauración de Fe y Esperanza | San Isidro | Elsa Rodríguez Núñez | 8898-4716 | | 5 Centro Cristiano Emanuel | Las Catalinas | José Rafael Monge Navarro | 8347-4630 | | 6 Asociación Ministerio Pilar del Fuego Costa Rica | Tejar | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | 2551-7097 | | 7 Basílica Inmaculada | Tejar | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 8 Santa Gertrudis | Santa Gertrudis | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 9 Padre Pio | Las Catalinas | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 10 Barrio Nuevo | Barrio Nuevo | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 11 Guayabal | Guayabal | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 12 Corazón de Jesús | Tejar | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 13 San Antonio | Asunción | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 14 Santa Teresita | Hacienda Vieja | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 15 Santo Cristo | Santo Cristo | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 16 Parroquia San Isidro | San Isidro | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | 2573-4328 | | 17 Medalla Milagros | Palo Verde | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 18 Inmaculada La Estrella | La Estrella | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 19 María Auxiliadora | Higuito | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 20 Santa Cecilia | Cangreja | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 21 Virgen del Rosario | Guatuso | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 22 Tobosi | Tobosi | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | 2573-8498 | | 23 Barrancas | Barrancas | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 24 Tablón | Tablón | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] | | 25 Sabana Grande | Sabana Grande | Monseñor José Francisco Ulloa Rojas | [email protected] |

Annex 10: MUNICIPAL REGULATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE GARBAGE COLLECTION AND SOLID WASTE TREATMENT SERVICE (PUBLISHED IN LA GACETA N`170 ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1995)

1. Presentation Booklet, Session I Cantonal Plan for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste, El Guarco Cartago Activity Schedule for Session I of Diagnosis, Wednesday, October 23, 2013 School of Social Work, UCR | Activity | Objective | Description | Materials | Person(s) in Charge | Time Required | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Welcome with name tags | Group people according to the color of their name tag for activities during the workshop session. Also, to ensure a close relationship from the first contact with the facilitation group. | The intention is to create four working groups at random, distributed by the colors of the name tags. These name tags, prepared beforehand, will be handed out as participants arrive. Two colleagues will be responsible for welcoming each person, asking their name, and writing it on the name tag (it is hoped they can continue bringing it to meetings). | Name tags previously prepared from 9x7 centimeter construction paper, in four specific colors (green, yellow, red, and blue). | Verónica and Doña Lorena. | 12:30 p.m. - 1:05 p.m. | | Presentation of the Committee and Facilitation Group | Explain the process of creating the Cantonal Plan for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste and the path traveled so far. | Presentation with photographs and key points of the moments developed to date. | Projector, Computer | Jean Baptiste, and Montserrat. | 1:05 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. | | Socio-drama | Reflect on perceptions about the meaning of a Participatory Diagnosis and its importance. | The instruction given by the facilitation group will simply be that, in subgroups (at least 4, divided by the colors of their name tag), they perform a socio-drama related to the concept of Diagnosis. This will require an internal discussion within the group to define the concept, and based on that, create a drama to be presented to the rest of the colleagues. | Various costumes and accessories. | Pamela as the main facilitator, Mónica and Brandon as supervisors of the subgroups during the work. Each member of the Committee will be in the groups supporting the work. | 1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. | | Refreshments | A space for dialogue and to take a break from the activity. | | 2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. | | | | Social Cartography | Obtain people's perceptions related to solid waste management in their localities. | The work team has several possible scenarios for this activity. If the number of people can be distributed equitably among inhabitants of the districts of Tobosi, Quebradilla, San Isidro, and Patio de Agua, each subgroup will receive a map of their district on which they must place previously discussed aspects, which will function as indicators. If the group is not equitable, an attempt will be made to form small subgroups by community and provide a sheet of flipchart paper on which the subgroup must draw their community, marking the requested aspects. In addition, one subgroup will work on the map of El Guarco, generating information at the cantonal level. | Maps of El Guarco, Districts, flipchart paper, markers, colored pencils. | Brandon and Verónica (General explanation and wrap-up). Each member of the Committee will be in the groups supporting the work. | 2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. | | Educational Video "Story of a Can" | Raise awareness and reflect on the situation of environmental contamination. | A video is shown, then subgroups discuss three guiding questions that they will later present to the group. | Video, computer (player), speakers, and projector. | Main Facilitator Mónica. The wrap-up is done by all members of the facilitation group. | 3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. | | Evaluation Activity and Closing | Request feedback and observations for input and to make improvements in future sessions. | Each participant will be given a sheet indicating a series of variables reflecting their perceptions of the workshop held and the learning achieved. | Evaluations | The entire facilitation group | 3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | 2. Presentation Booklet, Session II Municipal Plan for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste, El Guarco Cartago Activity Schedule for Session II of Diagnosis, Wednesday, November 6, 2013 School of Social Work, University of Costa Rica | Activity | Objective | Description | Materials | Person(s) in Charge | Time | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Presentation and review of previous meetings and the previous workshop | Provide a general framework for the work sessions to situate the workshop participants in the process and reinforce the need for their participation throughout it. | The process will be reviewed again from the first session, so that new members learn about the processes carried out. This will be done through a brief master lecture, using photographs (presentation already prepared with new material incorporated). | Projector Computer | Jean Baptiste | 9:00 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. 10 min | | Icebreaker: Introducing Ourselves | Generate a space of trust with the new participants, as well as reinforce the bonds of camaraderie and teamwork within the group as a whole. | Participants are told to pair up with someone they do not know. The pairs will have 4 minutes to get to know each other (full name, place of residence, what they think of the meeting, and what their expectations are). Then each person introduces their partner to the rest of the group. | None | Mónica | 9:10 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. 15 min | | Survey "It Starts from Home": How do we manage our waste? | Obtain specific, individualized information on the practices used by people in solid waste management. | Taking into account variables from Anexo 1 of the Manual for the Development of Municipal Plans for Integrated Management of Solid Waste (p.90). This instrument will capture very specific information to apply to the analysis of consumption habits and other aspects. It will be done individually. | Survey Instrument, Pens | Pamela, main facilitator. The entire facilitation team responding to suggestions or questions. | Completion: 9:25 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. 25 min | | Activity 2: Depicting the Situation of Solid Waste Management in El Guarco | Objective 1: Identify the consumption habits used by people in the canton of El Guarco. Objective 2: Understand the management of solid waste used in homes and in the community. Objective 3: Identify the alternatives and practices that people know about regarding waste management. | The group will be divided into three working subgroups, which will simultaneously work on a Collage, a Newspaper, and a Mural. Collage: using material from magazines and newspapers, identify the consumption habits of the inhabitants of El Guarco. Work will be guided by questions such as: Why do we consume? What makes us consume? What culture of consumption do we have? The material will be provided and the group will create the collage, which they will explain at the end of the activity. Newspaper: The participants will use newsprint to create a giant newspaper using the assigned materials. It must contain news related to the following guiding questions: What happens in our homes and in my community? What do I do with my trash? What practices do I use to get rid of solid waste? Mural: Pieces of cardboard box joined together will be used to form a "wall" with waste, on which the participants will capture, with materials (especially paints), situations related to the topic addressed, forming a mural. This must reconstruct content related to the following questions: What can we do with garbage? What do I know about the classification of garbage? Which practices do we know? | Newspapers, Magazines, books with drawings and graphics to cut out, markers, scissors, adhesive tape, black graphite and colored pencils | Collage: Mónica Newspaper: Brandon Mural: Vero | Completion: 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 60 min Presentation by the groups: (After refreshments) 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 30 min | | Refreshments | | 10:45 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. 20 min | | | | | Closing - Evaluation | Request feedback and observations for input and to make improvements in future sessions. | Each participant will be given a sheet with a series of questions seeking to obtain their perceptions of the workshop held and the learning achieved. | Evaluation sheets | Brandon | 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. 10 min | 3. Presentation Booklet, Session III Cantonal Plan for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste, El Guarco Cartago Activity Schedule for Session III of Diagnosis, Wednesday, November 20, 2013 School of Social Work, UCR | Activity | Objective | Description | Materials | Person(s) in Charge | Time | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Presentation and review of previous meetings and the previous workshop | Provide a general framework for the work sessions to situate the workshop participants in the process and reinforce the need for their participation throughout it. | The process will be reviewed again from the first session, so that new members learn about the processes carried out. This will be done through a brief master lecture, using photographs (presentation already prepared with new material incorporated). | Projector Computer | Jean + Another person from the committee | 9:00 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. 10 min | | Icebreaker: A Collective Story | Generate a space of trust with the new participants, as well as reinforce the bonds of camaraderie and teamwork within the group as a whole. | From the beginning, as people arrive, they are asked to write a word on a piece of paper, any word: a verb, adjective, noun, or name. The words are randomly distributed without the people seeing them. Once all the words are handed out, one person is asked to start a story using their word, relating it to the topics discussed. All the other people will continue the story, trying to follow a general idea about the main characteristics of the workshop, using their word. | Small pieces of paper | Pamela | 10 min | | Feedback: "Problem Tree" | Provide feedback on the information gathered in the first two sessions of the Participatory Diagnosis for the Cantonal Plan for Integrated Management of Solid Waste of El Guarco. | Through a problem tree, present the cause-and-effect relationships surrounding the problem of poor solid waste management. (It is prepared based on the information gathered in the 2 previous sessions). | | Mónica, Brandon, Pamela. | 9:10 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. 30 min | | "Objectives Tree" | Transform the problem tree into a tree of objectives and alternatives. | In subgroups, they must analyze the problem tree provided (The group can make observations on the back of the sheet). Subsequently, they must reformulate all the problems, transforming them into objectives (Positive affirmations). They can add fruits as alternatives. (future solutions to the problems). | Newsprint, cardstock, markers, problem tree sheets, glue, tape, scissors | Mónica | 9:40 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. 1 hour | | Refreshments | A space for dialogue and to take a break from the activity. | | | | 10:40 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 20 min | | Closing- Evaluation | Request feedback and observations for input and to make improvements in future sessions. | Each participant will be given a sheet indicating a series of variables that reflect their perceptions of the workshop held and the learning achieved. | | | 11:00 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. 10 min | 4. Presentation Booklet, Session IV Cantonal Plan for Integrated Management of Solid Waste, El Guarco Cartago Activity Schedule for Session IV of Diagnosis, Wednesday, December 4, 2013 School of Social Work, UCR | Activity | Objective | Description | Materials | Person(s) in Charge | Time | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Welcome with colored papers with written phrases | Group people according to the color of the paper for activities during the workshop session. Provide a general framework for the work sessions to situate the workshop participants in the process and reinforce the need for their participation throughout it. | The intention is to create three working groups at random, distributed by the colored papers. These will be handed out as participants arrive. People must keep the paper to revisit the phrase at the closing during the reflection. | Colored papers with phrases | All members of the facilitation group | 9:00 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. | | Presentation and review of previous meetings and the previous workshop | Provide a general framework for the work sessions to situate the workshop participants in the process and reinforce the need for their participation throughout it. | The process will be reviewed again from the first session, so that new members learn about the processes carried out. This will be done through a brief master lecture, using photographs (presentation already prepared with new material incorporated). | Projector Computer | Jean Baptiste | 9:10 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. | | Going Through Ladders and Snakes | The objective of this dynamic is to place on a (large) board a series of questions and challenges that allow for a deeper construction of alternatives regarding integrated solid waste management. | With a previously prepared board, questions related to the alternatives proposed in previous sessions will be placed. In this way, the participating subgroups can answer them as a group, while one of their representatives rolls the die and moves across the board, which will have ladders (which will allow the participant to "climb" to another space) and snakes (which will make them "slide down" squares). The game will conclude when a group and its representative reach the finish zone. | Game board and die prepared beforehand, markers, and questions | Facilitation Team | 9:20 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. | | Refreshments | | 10:20 a.m. - 10:35 a.m. | | | | | Nominal Group Technique | Achieve consensus, balance the degree of participation among group members, and obtain a clear idea of the group's opinions. | Alternatives written on flipchart paper will be available. And other alternatives obtained from the previous technique will be written down. Now, participants will be asked to rate the proposed ideas in order of importance. This will be done using colored cards. It ends by combining the ratings of all team members to prioritize the topics. | Flipchart paper. Colored cards | Brandon (two people in charge at the flipcharts) | 10:35 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | | Reflection and closing | Reflect on topics addressed in previous sessions. | By means of the phrases given to the people at the beginning of the session, the aim is to reflect on socio-environmental issues, such as integrated solid waste management (GIRS), integrated water resources management (GIRH), and other environmental topics. As well as topics related to political advocacy, such as community participation. It concludes with a closing clarifying that this is the last participatory Dx session, but that the process continues. | Support material that will be created and built during the session | All members of the facilitation group | 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |

Municipal Plan for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste, El Guarco Cartago Municipality of El Guarco - School of Social Work, UCR Instrument for gathering information on socio-cultural aspects Age:__________________________________ Sex: (F) (M) District where you live: _______________________________ 12. Street cleaning in your neighborhood is:

Deficient ( ) Fair ( ) Acceptable ( ) Good ( ) Excellent ( ) Non-existent ( ) Don't know / No response ( ) 2. What is the main problem? (Only if you answered deficient or fair in the previous question) __________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 3. How many bags of trash, APPROXIMATELY, are generated in this house per week? ______ per week. Size: L M S 4. Estimate the type and quantity of trash that is thrown out (bag size):

NUMBER ONE IS FOR THE TYPE OF TRASH THAT IS MOST PRODUCED IN YOUR HOUSE, NUMBER TWO FOR THE NEXT IN IMPORTANCE, AND SO ON.

5. In your house, is any type of waste separated for recycling?

Yes ( ) No ( ) Don't know / No response ( ) If you answered yes, what type of waste is separated?

NUMBER ONE IS FOR THE TYPE OF TRASH THAT IS MOST SEPARATED IN YOUR HOUSE, NUMBER TWO FOR THE NEXT IN IMPORTANCE, AND SO ON.

6. To whom do you deliver the recyclable material?

Municipality ( ) Private service ( ) Other: ______________________________ Don't know / No response ( ) 7. If any type of trash remains in your house THAT IS NOT COLLECTED, what do you do with it?

It is thrown in a specific place ( ) It is thrown in any place ( ) It is burned ( ) It is buried ( ) Other ____________________________________________________________ 8. Do you know of any illegal dump in this sector?

Yes ( ) Where: _____________________________________________________ No ( ) Don't know / No response ( ) 9. Does non-traditional trash collection exist in this place (WOOD, FURNITURE, HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES, CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS, ETC.)?

Yes ( ) No ( ) Don't know / No response ( ) 10. Who offers this service?

Municipality ( ) Private service ( ) Other: ______________________ Don't know / No response ( ) 11. How often?

Once in a while ( ) Once a year ( ) More often ( ) Don't know / No response ( ) 12. Mark with an X according to the classification that you believe is correct for the articles presented. In the last four boxes, also mark with an X if you consider the article to be trash, recyclable, reusable, or if you do not know.

| Article | Organic waste | Glass | Plastic | Paper/ Cardboard | Cans | Technological waste | Other | Trash | Recyclable | Reusable | I Don't Know | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Banana peels | | | | | | | | | | | | | Glass bottle | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cell phone | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fluorescent light bulbs | | | | | | | | | | | | | Used syringes | | | | | | | | | | | | | Milk carton | | | | | | | | | | | | | Canned soda | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tetra Pak container | | | | | | | | | | | | | Magazines | | | | | | | | | | | | | Can of condensed milk | | | | | | | | | | | | | Used diapers | | | | | | | | | | | | | Batteries | | | | | | | | | | | | | Disposable plates | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tuna cans | | | | | | | | | | | | | Styrofoam cups | | | | | | | | | | | |