Mexico City, September 20 – In an effort to prevent streets, sidewalks, and medians from becoming informal waste transfer stations, Deputy Mario Enrique Sánchez Flores has introduced an initiative to modify various provisions of Mexico City’s Civic Culture Law and Solid Waste Law. The proposal, presented before the Mexico City Congress, seeks to prevent, eradicate, and sanction the irregular transfer of solid waste in public areas across the capital.
Legislative Initiative Targets Irregular Waste Transshipment
During the Ordinary Session on September 17, Deputy Sánchez Flores, a member of the National Action Party (PAN), explained the rationale behind his proposal. He highlighted that Mexico City generates over 12,000 tons of solid waste daily, which requires proper collection, transportation, and transfer to designated facilities. However, he noted a common practice where waste collection truck personnel stop in public areas to unload and sort waste, only to reload it onto their vehicles-a process known as irregular transshipment (traspaleo irregular).
“Transfer is necessary. What should not be normalized is that an operation requiring infrastructure, controls, and technical conditions ends up being carried out in front of people’s homes, because a street is not a maneuvering yard, a sidewalk is not a waste plant, and a median is not a transfer station,” Sánchez Flores asserted from the tribune.
Distinguishing Legal Transfer from Illegal Practices
The legislator clarified that his initiative does not aim to prohibit the transfer of solid waste altogether. Instead, it seeks to prevent public roads from replacing the designated stations and facilities designed for such operations. “Legal and technically controlled transfer must be preserved; irregular transshipment in public spaces must be prevented, eradicated, and sanctioned,” he emphasized.
The proposed legislation aims to provide a clear legal definition of irregular transshipment, thereby eliminating ambiguous interpretations. It also explicitly states that normal waste reception, emptying containers, and sweeping do not constitute an infraction. Furthermore, the initiative mandates that mayoral offices identify and georeference recurring points of illegal transshipment, review routes, schedules, operational mechanisms, and address neighborhood complaints.
Key components of the proposal include the creation of a public registry of irregular transshipment points and the establishment of consequences for those who carry out and order this practice, with a particular focus on public servants rather than sanitation workers.
Addressing Public Health, Mobility, and Administrative Responsibility
Deputy Sánchez Flores acknowledged that genuine emergencies, such as breakdowns, fires, or accidents, might necessitate extraordinary maneuvers, and these situations are accounted for in the proposal.
“This is not just about garbage. It’s about how we use public space; it’s about health, mobility, and administrative responsibility, about dignified conditions for those who work in sanitation services, and, above all, about respect for the people who live on these streets every day,” the congressman stated.
The initiative from the PAN deputy has been referred by the Board of Directors to the United Commissions of Civic Justice and Public Defense, and Environmental Preservation, Climate Change, and Ecological Protection. These commissions will now analyze and issue a ruling on the proposal.
This legislative push comes as Mexico City grapples with the challenges of urban waste management and the impact of informal practices on public spaces and residents’ quality of life. The proposed changes aim to bring greater order and accountability to waste handling processes, ensuring that public areas remain clean and safe for all citizens.
