Environment
Waste Transfer Station Fund
Building a waste transfer station in Cóbano to replace 146 km garbage hauls with efficient local collection. Faster pickups, cleaner streets, lower costs.
Solving the Garbage Crisis in Santa Teresa & Cóbano
Right now, garbage trucks in our district spend more time driving to the dump than actually collecting waste. The result is trash piling up on streets, missed pickups lasting weeks, and a sanitation crisis that threatens both public health and Santa Teresa's reputation as a world-class destination. We have a proven solution—we just need to build it.
The Problem
146 Kilometers, 11 Hours, 180 Liters of Diesel
Every garbage truck in the Santa Teresa and Cóbano district makes a 146 km roundtrip to Santa Cruz just to unload. Each trip takes over 11 hours and burns through 180 liters of diesel. Trucks break down constantly from the wear and tear, leaving communities waiting weeks for collection while garbage accumulates on streets and in drainage systems.
The impact on our community:
Trash piling up in public spaces creates unsanitary conditions
Inconsistent collection damages Santa Teresa's tourism economy
High fuel and maintenance costs strain municipal budgets
Frequent breakdowns leave entire neighborhoods without service
This isn't sustainable. Our community deserves better, and there's a straightforward solution already working elsewhere in Costa Rica.
The Solution
A Transfer Station That Works
Instead of every truck driving 146 km to Santa Cruz, we'll build a waste transfer station in Cóbano—modeled after a proven system in Tilarán, Costa Rica. Local garbage trucks unload into large containers at the station. A single semi-truck then makes fewer, more efficient trips to the dump.
What this means for the district:
Faster, more reliable pickups across all communities
Fewer breakdowns and lower maintenance costs
Reduced fuel consumption and operating expenses
Cleaner streets and restored sanitation standards
Foundation for future composting and recycling programs
The transfer station doesn't just solve today's crisis—it creates infrastructure for tomorrow's circular economy initiatives.
The Impact
From Crisis to Clean Streets
A waste transfer station transforms garbage collection from an ongoing emergency into a reliable public service. Communities get consistent pickups. Streets stay clean. Trucks stay operational. And Santa Teresa maintains the environmental standards that make this place special.
Your support builds:
The transfer station facility in Cóbano
Container systems for efficient waste consolidation
Equipment and infrastructure for safe operations
A sustainable model that reduces costs long-term
This is one of the district's most urgent infrastructure needs. Every contribution brings us closer to breaking ground and ending the garbage crisis.
Get Involved
All donations are tax-deductible in the U.S., and you'll receive a receipt immediately. Have questions or prefer to donate via wire transfer or securities? Contact us here.
