From Technological Innovation to Environmental Crisis: The Case of the La Cañamera Landfill (1962-1979)

Abstract

This paper examines the evolution and challenges of waste management in mid-20th century Santiago, with a focus on the La Cañamera landfill (1962-1979). Located in Bajos de Mena, then a semi-rural part of the capital, the La Cañamera landfill was an effort to solve the growing waste issues in the southern communes of Greater Santiago by implementing the newest sanitary landfill technologies. However, the lack of cooperation among the municipalities and the insufficient technological and administrative capacities prevented this goal from being achieved, resulting in a persistent environmental crisis in the zone. Despite attempts at modernization, the poor sanitary conditions and opposition from local residents led to multiple temporary closures of the landfill until its final shutdown in 1979. The legacy of this mismanagement continued to affect nearby communities for decades, contributing to a growing socio-environmental segregation.