Esta publicación también está disponible en:
The Puerto Vallarta city government will resume responsibility for garbage collection beginning April 1, 2026, Mayor Luis Ernesto Munguía González said in a press release, marking a reversal of a concession model his own administration approved in late 2024.
The decision comes as the municipality works to terminate its contract with private operator Red Ambiental amid an ongoing dispute over payments, service performance and contract terms.
“We are making the necessary adjustments so the municipality can resume garbage collection,” Munguía said.
The garbage collection service was granted to Red Ambiental under a 15-year concession approved by the city council in December 2024, promoted by Munguía’s administration as a way to modernize operations and improve efficiency.
However, the arrangement quickly became controversial. Residents and business owners reported inconsistent service, while tensions escalated earlier this year when the company partially suspended operations, citing unpaid invoices.
The company said the city had accumulated months of missed payments, with some reports placing the debt at more than 165 million pesos after roughly seven months of nonpayment.
City officials have not publicly confirmed a final debt figure and say the amount remains under review due to discrepancies flagged by municipal auditors in billing and reported waste volumes.
Negotiations are ongoing to avoid legal action as both sides attempt to reach a settlement and potentially transfer equipment, including trucks and landfill infrastructure, to municipal control.
Under the new plan, garbage collection will be managed by the city’s Efficient Services Department, with support from the Ecological Guard and the Environmental Sustainability Department. Officials say the goal is to stabilize service while increasing oversight and public accountability.
To rebuild capacity, the city plans to lease 25 garbage trucks and may acquire an additional 10 units from the concessionaire.
The shift also follows operational setbacks, including the loss of several municipal trucks during February security-related incidents, which further strained the system.
The city is also reorganizing sanitation personnel and may reassign or hire additional workers to ensure coverage across all neighborhoods.
Munguía said the transition is intended to improve service frequency and reliability, but the move has become a focal point of political and public debate.
Critics have questioned why the concession was approved less than two years ago and are now raising concerns about the financial impact of the contract, the size of the outstanding debt and the potential cost of terminating the agreement early.
City officials say discussions with Red Ambiental are focused on reaching a negotiated resolution that would allow the municipality to resume full control of the service without litigation.
“We are seeking agreements that allow us to guarantee the service,” Munguía said.
The transition back to municipal garbare collection represents a significant policy shift and underscores the challenges facing the city as it seeks to stabilize a critical public service ahead of the busy Semana Santa season.
Esta publicación también está disponible en:
