If you are property owners, you are likely paying the municipality for garbage collection at the same time that you pay your property tax.  But you may not know what services are provided.   

 

Tim West led a committee of representatives to work with the municipality to understand the municipalities services and guidelines and also to make some recommendations for our Escaleras Community.  

 

What the municipality provides

The municipality picks up along the Escaleras Road and up the concrete road to Costa Verde.  (See route map - coming shortly) 

They pick up along this route on Tuesday and Friday.  The route and schedule may change from time to time and the time of day can vary based on traffic, amounts of garbage being handled, etc.  

They pick up from personal trash receptacles and from neighborhood shared bins for neighborhoods not on the public road or not on the route.  

• They do not have requirements for the size or shape of a trash bin.

• All trash must be in bags. 

• The bags need to be inside the bins (not beside a bin). 

• They do not recycle anything in the trash bins. 

• They do not pick up construction material. 

• They do not “clean-up” the trash bins or around the trash bins.  

 

Recommendations 

 

1. Personal bins for those on the route 

   • Personal bins can be created according to the need of the individual property.  In some cases the property owner may choose to put their trash out just before pick up.  In others, an enclosed bin may be required because of rental or cleanup schedules.​

2. Community bins for each community not on the public route   

   • Examples of communities that have a bin:  Costa Verde, Pacific Edge road, Las Terrazas.​

   • Examples of communities that need a bin: MV1, MV2, MV3, Las Perlas, Toucan road, San Martin

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We have some examples of neighborhoods achieving success with their community bin.  Congratulations to Costa Verde Estates, Pacific Edge and Las Terrazas!    

The key factors in their success are:

• Worked together to make the decisions

• Agreed where to place it

• Agreed what it looked like and paid to have it constructed

• Placed it where it was not easily abused and where it was not an eyesore

• Jointly monitor the bin to ensure it is not abused

• Jointly take responsibility to keep it clean and tidy

 

Contact Tim West privately on WhatsApp if you or your neighborhood need more information on how to get a bin.  

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Responsibility 

Whether you live in the community or rent out your property, it is your responsibility to ensure that your trash is being handled properly by you, your cleaners, your workers, and your renters.  

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By not having your own personal bin or a bin for your community, you may be over-burdening another communities trash bins or even contributing to the trash being dumped into the jungle.  

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Proper handling of our trash can make a difference for all of us.  Having a tidy, clean community makes a more pleasant experience for those who live here, for renters.  It also tells criminals that we care about our community and that we are organized.  

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Let's take community pride.  Keep it pretty!  Keep it clean! 

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Future of public bins in Escaleras 

The trash bins in Escaleras that are not located near a particular neighborhood or home get out of hand very quickly.  A handful of people have shouldered the responsibility of trying to keep these bins tidy but it is a difficult task.   These bins will likely be removed in the near future. 

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Contacts at the Municipality

Brenda Zuniga  2782-0000
Extension 141
bzuniga@munideosa.go.cr
Diego Rojas
drojas@munideosa.go.cr