The president of the municipal sanitation company, Sadeco, Miguel Ruiz Madruga, addressed the incidents in waste collection in Córdoba but firmly denied that they affect the city's hygiene and health. "There are no health problems in the city," he stated in response to criticism from the municipal group Hacemos Córdoba.
Ruiz Madruga reiterated the existing problems with the waste collection truck fleet, indicating that the situation will "normalize" after the delivery of 20 new vehicles, expected by July 21. Until then, usual frequencies and routes have been modified due to the shortage of operational vehicles, particularly affecting nighttime collection, which is now supplemented by daytime services. "The garbage is collected every day," the councilor assured.
Regarding the complaint filed with the Andalusian Ombudsman by the consumer association Facua, due to resident complaints about the waste collection service, Ruiz Madruga stated he was unaware of the action and announced a press conference to provide detailed explanations about the service provided by Sadeco.
“"There are no health problems in the city."
For their part, the spokesperson for Hacemos Córdoba, Juan Hidalgo, demanded that the mayor directly assume management of Sadeco due to the "deterioration" of the street cleaning and waste collection service, labeling the situation a "health problem".
Hidalgo denounced the lack of operational material resources, stating that out of the 18 trucks intended for cleaning and waste collection, "barely seven are operating." He also recalled the reduction in staff, from 1,033 workers in 2019 to fewer than 833 currently, which directly impacts the service's response capacity. He criticized that the rental vehicles are not functioning normally, failing to provide an effective improvement.
The spokesperson also pointed out that despite a more than 50% increase in the waste fee, urban cleanliness has not improved. He recalled that the government team itself anticipates a return to normal collection "by the end of July," a situation he described as "serious" given the waste accumulation and high temperatures.
Hidalgo linked the situation to events like the White Night of Flamenco, where "even the bins could not be emptied," and warned that the bulky waste collection plant "is still not functioning," leading to waste accumulation. He believes the situation has moved from being a management issue to a "public health problem."
Finally, he called for a "180-degree change" in management, for the mayor to take political leadership of Sadeco, and for the development of a "comprehensive action plan by neighborhood" along with hiring "about 200 people" to reinforce the staff and reverse the current situation.
