Garbage is piling up on the streets of Havana because trash-collection trucks have stopped operating due to a severe fuel shortage [1, 2].
The collapse of waste management in the capital threatens the public health of two million residents [3]. As rubbish accumulates, the city faces increasing risks from disease and pests.
The crisis has lasted for several months [3]. Waste collection has stalled because the fleets of garbage trucks lack the diesel fuel required to run [1, 2]. This shortage is exacerbated by the U.S. blockade and sanctions, which restrict the flow of oil into the country [2].
This lack of fuel extends beyond waste management. Reports from May 2026 indicate that Cuba has run out of diesel fuel oil [2]. The energy deficit has also crippled the electrical grid, with some areas reporting daily blackouts lasting up to 22 hours [2].
Residents of Havana are now dealing with overflowing trash bags, and rotting waste on city streets [1, 4]. The inability to maintain basic urban infrastructure has turned the city's waste disposal system into a critical failure point, leaving the population to manage the refuse without government assistance [1, 4].
Officials said the current state of the energy sector is linked to the ongoing U.S. oil blockade [2]. Without a reliable source of fuel, the city's ability to perform essential services, including the removal of waste, remains paralyzed [1, 2].
“Garbage is piling up on Havana's streets because trash‑collection trucks have stopped operating.”
The intersection of fuel shortages and waste management failure illustrates the fragility of Havana's urban infrastructure. When basic energy needs are not met, the secondary effects—such as the inability to collect trash and prolonged power outages—create a compounding humanitarian crisis that increases the risk of epidemics in densely populated areas.
