PEOPLE AND WASTE: UNDERSTANDING THE REAL VALUE OF WASTE IN MORELOS, MEXICO

Despite the fact that Mexico has taken greater steps into improving its waste
management, many of its smaller communities still face severe challenges associated with the
collection and disposal of waste. In the state of Morelos, the number of problems related to waste
is increasing as the population’s density and standards of living is rising. Located south of
Mexico City, this region comprises 33 municipalities in which the sustainable exploitation of
waste is often overlooked or limited. This study is based on the assumption that waste is valuable
in small and medium size communities in Latin America. An attempt to discern the real value of
waste in Morelos will be undertaken by linking the social structure of the towns with their waste
processes.
1.