In just a few years, the Municipal Governments of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal have taken the first steps in the environmental management of the populated areas of their cantons, with the creation of Environmental Management Units and Directorates.

The Galapagos National Park through the Araucaria XXI Project funded by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID) signed, on December 15th, 2003 a proposal to establish an Environmental Management Unit (UGA) in each Municipality with the Consortium of Municipalities of the Galapagos, as the entity responsible for implementing municipal environmental policy in the corresponding canton.

Since then the support of the GNP-Araucaria XXI to Municipal Governments has been maintained, trying to encourage the use of appropriate technologies for the management of solid and liquid waste.

Santa Cruz

For the treatment of recyclable waste and organic waste, the facilities in the Fabricio Valverde Environmental Park (originally launched with support from the Galapagos Foundation), were constructed, which consist of a Collection Center where recyclable waste is classified, treated, and stored, and a composting plant where organic waste is treated so that it decomposes into compost.

	The Fabricio Valverde Environmental Park is the name of the solid waste recycling center on Santa Cruz, which has interpretive panels to inform the public.

In parallel, the system has a collection program for medical and hazardous waste, generated by hospitals, public and private medical centers, and private and institutional laboratories, which is transported to the Fabricio Valverde Environmental Park and then incinerated in a furnace with refractory chambers specially designed for this.

Moreover, with funding from USAID and the BID-FOMIN II Project, the GNP supported the improvement of the environmental aspects, particularly the management of waste generated from the municipal slaughterhouse, including the construction of a dry dam for the final treatment of wastewater.

San Cristóbal and Floreana

	Door to door campaigns and environmental education events on San Cristóbal help improve the correct classification of household waste.

In 2007 the activities of the Municipal Environmental Management Unit were begun on San Cristobal, sponsored by the Galapagos National Park and Araucaria XXI, starting collection, sorting, and waste treatment processes, both on San Cristóbal and on Floreana.

The solid waste management project on San Cristóbal was implemented by the Spanish NGO IPADE, funded by Spanish Cooperation.

The environmental education and public awareness campaigns were conducted between IPADE, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and Araucaria XXI.

	Floreana has the infrastructure to press the recyclable material. The Directorate of the Galapagos National Park provides its support by removing the material from the island.

Recently, the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, supported by Araucaria XXI, tries to support the public awareness processes and the training of plant technicians with internships in projects of similar characteristics on the mainland of Ecuador, as well as logistics operations, especially those related to the project on Floreana.

Additionally, the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park is directly supporting the Municipality of the canton with the construction of the wastewater plant, by donating funds corresponding to the compensation awarded after the B/T Jessica spill.

Isabela

	Currently, the "El Manzanillo" area, on the outskirts of Puerto Villamil on Isabela, is used as a quarry, as well as a garbage dump and storage area for material for recycling.

On Isabela the first steps toward establishing an adequate waste management system which is harmonious with the unique environment of the island are being taken.

The Directorate of the Galapagos National Park is joining forces with the Municipal Government and other relevant actors in the province to reverse the actions that so far are taking place in waste management.

Some of the first collaborations so far have been the construction of a treatment plant, sewage and a wastewater pumping station, the environmental sanitation of the "Las Salinas" pool, and the construction of landscaped perimeter closures, through the Araucaria XXI Project.

In 2009 a financial contribution to the Municipal Government of Isabela is scheduled to be made, to perform emergency works in the current garbage dump, while said entity completes the financing needed to implement a comprehensive solid waste management project.

This program has counted on the support of:

Araucaria XXI is the Program for the environmental sustainability of human development in Latin America of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation Development (SAICD).

The IPADE Foundation is a Spanish non-governmental organization specializing in the environment.