Cuba (CU)
Cuba is a unique socialist island nation of 11 million people in the Caribbean — a country of vintage American cars, world-famous cigars, Havana salsa, colonial architecture, and extraordinary natural beauty.
Recycling & Waste in Cuba
Bin system, bottle deposits, special disposal, and common mistakes.
Cuba does not have a comprehensive formal recycling system equivalent to Western countries. Municipal waste collection (COMUNALES — Empresas Comunales) collects mixed household waste in most urban areas. However, informal recycling is deeply embedded in Cuban economic life — driven by scarcity and the need for income. The state operates Centros de Acopio (collection centres) that purchase recyclable materials by weight from individuals. Recycling is driven by economic necessity rather than environmental regulation.
The Bin System
General Mixed Waste
No standard colour coding — mixed containersBasura / Residuos Sólidos
- ✓All household waste — mixed collection. No household separation system in residential areas.
- ✗Hazardous chemicals
- ✗Medical waste
- ✗Large construction debris
Centros de Acopio (Recycling Purchase Points)
No standard colour — state collection pointsCentro de Acopio
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Cardboard and paper
- ✓Metal (aluminium cans, scrap)
- ✓PET plastic bottles
- ✓Copper wire
- ✓Batteries (some locations)
- ✗Mixed waste
- ✗Non-clean recyclables
Informal Bottle Return (Informal) — Bottle Deposit System
Cuba does not have a formal deposit/return scheme for beverage containers. Some glass bottle types (rum and beer bottles) are informally resold to manufacturers by individuals — these have an informal value of 5–10 CUP each.
5–10 CUP per glass bottle (informal value)
Ask your casa particular host rather than discarding glass bottles. Many hosts collect and return them informally.
Special Disposal
No formal e-waste collection system. Informal parts markets (mercados de electrónica) or leave for casa particular host.
Cubans are expert at repairing old appliances. Old electronics are often repaired, sold for parts, or disposed of in general waste.
No household hazardous waste (HHW) programme. Ask your rental host or local CDR for guidance.
Motor oil from vehicles is sometimes collected informally by mechanics. Paint, solvents, and chemicals: practices vary by municipality.
Return unused medication to a farmacias de guardia (duty pharmacy) or consult your Servimed clinic.
Disposing of prescription medications in general waste is not recommended. Cuban pharmacies sometimes accept returns.
Bulk Waste
Large items (furniture, appliances, mattresses) are handled informally in Cuba. Offer unwanted items to your casa particular host, neighbours, or building administrator first — items have significant reuse value in the Cuban context. For items not suitable for reuse, coordinate removal with local COMUNALES services or ask your CDR (Comité de Defensa de la Revolución) for guidance. There is no formal bulk waste collection booking system.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ! Throwing recyclable glass, metal, or plastic in the general bin — these have economic value at Centros de Acopio and are appreciated by hosts
- ! Flushing medications or pouring chemicals down drains — water treatment infrastructure in Cuba is limited
- ! Leaving waste in public spaces — carries social and administrative consequences
- ! Not securing waste bags — stray animals scatter loose waste and create community problems
- ! Assuming waste collection schedules are regular — COMUNALES collection can be irregular; bag and store waste until collection occurs
Fines & Enforcement
Cuba's administrative code imposes fines for littering and illegal dumping in public spaces, but enforcement is primarily social and community-based rather than financial. The CDR (Comités de Defensa de la Revolución) and local administration are the primary enforcement mechanisms. Significant violations can result in administrative proceedings.
Practical Tips
- → Reduce and reuse are the dominant environmental strategies in Cuba due to scarcity — many items are repaired and reused far longer than in Western countries.
- → Plastic bags: bring reusable bags for shopping. Cuban plastic bags are available but single-use plastic reduction is a stated government goal.
- → Glass rum bottles: keep and return to liquor store (licorería) — they are often reused or sold back.
- → Water purification tablets or filters: avoid single-use water bottles where possible — buy a filter or use tablets.
- → Food waste: composting is practised informally at casas particulares with gardens. Urban Cubans have little room for food waste management — excess food is typically shared with neighbours rather than wasted.
- → As a foreigner, separating your recyclable waste (plastic, glass, metal, paper) and leaving it for your host to take to the Centro de Acopio is an appreciated contribution to the local economy.