The Historic Center of Mérida faces the proliferation of pests of rodents, termites, and cockroaches derived from inadequate waste management, according to the Board of Trustees for the preservation of that area and specialists in pest control.
Zazil Canto Ureña, president of the Board of Trustees for the Preservation of the Historic Center of Mérida, highlighted that this problem, although it has been around for some time, has become more relevant due to demographic growth and the commercial and residential boom in the area.
The directive pointed out that the accumulation of garbage and the lack of modernization in the municipal collection system are determining factors in the presence of pests such as termites, moths, mosquitoes, and rodents.
“We are more inhabitants, but we continue managing waste like 20 years ago. The collection infrastructure has not grown at the rate of the population or economic activity,” he acknowledged.
In addition to the health impact, the president of the Board of Trustees warned about the damage that pests such as termites cause to architectural heritage.
“These pests look for cellulose in the wooden beams and furniture of old houses, causing irreparable damage, especially if they are not detected in time,” he said.
Zazil Canto expressed that the Downtown markets, such as San Benito and Lucas de Gálvez, represent a challenge since the accumulation of garbage in their rear areas is a critical point that requires immediate attention.
According to the Mérida City Council, in the Historic Center, there are 400 mobile food stalls and two thousand stores selling food, fruits, and vegetables in the San Benito and Lucas de Gálvez markets.
It is estimated that the Lucas de Galvez market has around 1,905 stalls of all types of transactions, and the San Benito market has more than 2,500 stalls, but not all of them are active.
Zazil Canto stressed that it is necessary to increase the frequency of waste collection and train tenants for the proper disposal of their organic and inorganic waste.
“Citizens must get involved. We need educational campaigns to encourage the separation of waste and prevent it from being dumped on public roads. There are corners that have become historical garbage dumps, such as 46th and 63rd Streets or 65th and 48th Streets, and that must change,” said the official.
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