Fuel shortages leave Havana streets piled with trash

Environment
18 Feb 2026 • 6:14 PM MYT
Euronews
Euronews

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Rubbish is piling up in streets across Cuba as fuel shortages disrupt collection services.

In several neighbourhoods, bins sit unemptied for days and residents leave bags on pavements, where heat and rain make the problem worse.

The lack of diesel has cut back lorry routes, according to local reports.

For many Cubans, the growing mounds of waste reflect a wider decline in basic services. Power cuts, water shortages and patchy transport have become part of daily life.

The garbage crisis adds another strain, raising concerns about hygiene and public health.