The **open dumpsites** continue to be **one of the main environmental liabilities** in Argentina.
The 2023 report from the “State of the Environment” program, prepared by the **Subsecretariat of the Environment**, identifies more than **5,200 illegal sites** for final waste disposal in Argentina, with an average of more than **two per municipality**.
The figure has not significantly improved in recent years, causing **alarm among specialists**, such as the **Argentine Chamber of Industrial and Special Waste Handlers and Transporters (CATRIES)** and the **Argentine Chamber of Treatment Industries for Environmental Protection (CAITPA)**.
## What is an open dumpsite and why is it concerning?
The chambers explain that these sites:
– Do not have **soil waterproofing**
– Lack **leachate control** or contaminant gases
– Receive **industrial, hazardous, and pathogenic waste** without classification
Unlike **sanitary landfills**, which are regulated and designed with technical infrastructure (impermeable layers, biogas monitoring, liquid capture), [open dumpsites](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/microbasurales-en-la-ciudad-de-salta-la-municipalidad-detecta-infracciones-graves-y-secuestra-un-camion/) **violate provincial and national regulations**, without effective controls or appropriate sanctions.
## Industry and waste: an informal relationship
One of the most serious factors is the **low rate of industrial waste treatment**. According to the **Hazardous Waste Observatory**, a joint initiative between [UBA](https://www.uba.ar/), UNR, CATRIES, and CAITPA:
– In 2024, **over 25 million tons** were generated
– Only **4.07% received adequate treatment**
– There are **over 32,700 generating companies**, but only **8.5%** hire authorized operators
“96% of [industrial waste](https://noticiasambientales.com/energia/cientificos-transforman-residuos-industriales-en-baterias-para-almacenar-energia-renovable/) ends up untreated. Many end up in illegal dumpsites, directly impacting health and the environment,” warned **Claudia Kalinec**, president of CATRIES.
## Cumulative environmental and social impacts
Open dumpsites generate:
– **Contaminating leachates**, which can infiltrate aquifers and affect drinking water
– **Biogas emissions**, such as methane and carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change
– **Health and social risks** for families living near these sites, especially in **low-income neighborhoods**
“The problem is not the lack of regulations, but the absence of enforcement. Companies avoid the costs of legal treatment, and no one sanctions them,” pointed out **Gustavo Solari**, president of CAITPA.
## Necessary policies: supervision, incentives, and awareness
The chambers propose an environmental agenda that includes:
– **Effective supervision and real sanctions** for polluters
– **Tax benefits and access to green credits** for companies that properly manage their waste
– **Awareness campaigns**, both in the corporate and social spheres
“Industrial pollution is not invisible: it’s in the water, in the air, in the soil. If not urgently and systematically addressed, the costs will be irreversible,” Solari concluded.
The **management of industrial waste** must be integrated as a structural axis of any serious environmental policy. Otherwise, warn from the sector, **informality will continue to affect ecosystem balance and public health**.
