If you have recently heard complaints about an infrastructure called cleanliness canton and you don't quite understand what it refers to and why it causes so much controversy, we are here to inform you!

We explain what this infrastructure is about, what works are carried out inside it and what its final purpose is.

What is a cleaning canton?

A cleaning canton is a facility for the storage of municipal cleaning machinery and vehicles It is also the place where operators and cleaning service workers change clothes and leave their vehicles before starting their workday.

In these polygons also garbage is unloaded The waste is then taken to the nearest landfill for recycling.

In general, a cleaning canton operates 24 hours a day In other words, it is a continuous flow of trucks loading and unloading garbage. These cantons, depending on their size, can cover three or four different districts.

With respect to its location, the ideal is that its construction is located in an industrial zone, It is at this point where the controversy over its installation lies.

For example, just a few months ago the neighbors of San Blas In a neighborhood in the community of Madrid, the installation of a cleaning station has been denounced for being built on a plot of land very close to a school and just a few meters from residential dwellings.

A more recent complaint has been filed by the neighbors of Cuatro Vientos also in Madrid, who accuse the City Council of the construction (without prior notice) of a clean-up canyon in Carabanchel, Indignant, they indicate that this canton is being built next to their homes (a little more than 100 meters away).

Cleaning canteen in San Blas

Controversy generated by a cleanup canton

As mentioned above, these enclosures are points provided by the city council to park the garbage vehicles, the waste collected by these vehicles and the machinery used by the cleaning personnel.

When installed close to a built-up area, a cleanup canteen generates the following disadvantages :

• Constant noise from trucks entering and leaving the plant It should be remembered that a cleaning canteen operates 24 hours a day without interruption.
• Foul odors from stored garbage It should be remembered that waste is stored temporarily until its subsequent transfer to landfills.
• It is an attractive place for many rodents and animals attracted by the smell of organic waste.

However, as we indicated at the beginning, the purpose of a cleanup canton is to preserve the machinery that keeps a small city or municipality clean. Simply put, it is a public service that is paid for with taxpayers' money.

Of course, as neighbors argue, it is always better that they are not installed on lots near residential housing or educational infrastructures.

Frequently asked questions about the cleaning canteen

Is a cleanup canteen the same as a cleanup point?

No, they are not the same thing. A cleaning canteen is an enclosure or plant that houses the trucks and machinery used by the cleaning personnel of a municipality or small city. A clean point is a facility where domestic waste is collected and temporarily stored that, due to its large volume or hazardous nature, should not be thrown in a conventional container.

Why is garbage stored in a cleanup canton?

A cleanup canteen is not a landfill, it is a logistical base for the cleanup employees. The garbage is not stored there permanently, only temporarily. Afterwards, the garbage is moved to a designated point.