Análisis al plan de gestión ambiental de desechos sólidos de la Hacienda La paz, sitio La Raquel, cantón El Guabo

Abstract

The "La Paz" farm is located in the La Raquel sector belonging to the Barbones Parish, in the El Guabo canton, El Oro province. This farm is dedicated to the cultivation and production of banana fruit to later be exported internationally. Being a large company, it is necessary to apply environmental tools for proper management to reduce the negative impacts that may occur due to this economic activity. One of the many tools that are applied is the Solid Waste Management Plan. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the solid waste environmental management plan of Hacienda "La Paz", La Raquel site, El Guabo canton in order to determine if it works efficiently or not. To carry out the general objective, three specific objectives were proposed, such as: establish the production procedure of the farm "La Paz" to be able to know the solid waste generated by activity on the farm, identify the process of management of solid waste in the banana plantation "La Paz", and determine the performance of legal regulations through a compliance matrix and apply a non-compliance matrix. The research was carried out under a qualitative approach, seeking to consider the different perspectives such as those of the authorities, workers or other people involved in the process; and with this, the descriptive and correlational types of research were applied. As research techniques, in situ observation, interviews and the comparative method were used between what was found in the study place with what is established in the regulations and management plans. Finally, research instruments such as forms, checklists, and compliance matrix were also used. For the evaluation of the environmental management plan for solid waste, different methodologies were applied, such as the compliance matrix and the non-compliance matrix. These matrices gave as a result that the management of waste on the farm has deteriorated in the last year, especially in terms of the collection and final disposal of the same. This has happened due to the cuts in personnel that they have had to make due to the economic measures they imposed in response to the global pandemic. Therefore, the staff is dedicated to other activities and is not supplied to carry out the correct management. As a proposal to improve waste management, an action plan was applied in which all the findings of the non-conformity matrix are gathered and different measures that can be carried out are proposed for the company together with the means of verification, responsible person to carry carry out such measure, and the period they have to be able to apply the measure or how often it must be carried out. In conclusion, it was obtained that the company is lowering its standard by not managing its solid waste correctly, and that the action plan is the most effective way to mitigate these non-compliances.