Cayma’s Growing Appeal: Rising Passenger Influx and Tourism Trends in Arequipa
The district of Cayma, one of the twenty-nine that make up the province of Arequipa in the south of the country, is recognized as one of the most traditional and representative of the city due to its blend of history, modernity, and natural beauty. Arequipa is, after Lima and Cusco, one of the provinces with the highest influx of domestic and foreign tourists. According to an analysis by the Arequipa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (October 2024), between January and August of that year, 748,500 passengers arrived through Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón International Airport.
Geography and Demographics of Cayma
Cayma is located on the slopes of the Misti volcano, and its territory is influenced by the Chili River and the Chilina Valley, which provide a privileged geographical environment. The district has 108,457 inhabitants and 49,039 households, as well as modern housing developments, shopping centers, restaurants, schools, and other services that position it as one of the most important residential areas in the region.
It has 13 health facilities and more than 130 educational institutions of all levels, and has a diverse socioeconomic composition covering levels A, BC, and D. Waste management is handled by the District Municipality in coordination with the Association of Eco-Efficient Women Recyclers of Cayma (ARMEC).
Key Challenges in Cayma’s Plastic Waste Management
Despite the efforts and progress made by the municipality in coordination with the recyclers’ association, some challenges remain in plastic waste management in Cayma. The amount of waste that is not collected and ends up scattered in the environment is a priority issue to be resolved, as is the rate of plastic recovery, considering the openness and interest of local actors.
A significant proportion of plastics still ends up in water bodies or green areas, reflecting difficulties in both collection and proper management from households. Although plastics represent a significant part of household waste, citizen participation in segregation programs remains limited.
This highlights the need to strengthen inter-institutional environmental awareness and education actions, as well as coordinated actions with local private sector actors, promoting collaboration and empowerment of programs that enhance segregation and recovery in a coordinated effort with the association of recyclers, businesses, residents, and government officials.
Cayma’s Baseline Analysis
The baseline analysis of waste in the Cayma district highlights that, of the 73.6 tons of waste generated daily, around 8.1 tons are not collected and end up scattered in the environment; of these, 65.5 tons are transported to the final disposal area, while 1.9 tons are recovered through the recyclers’ association. On a monthly basis, the association collects 64 tons, of which 31% is plastic. On the other hand, it is estimated that each person contributes 3.3 kg of plastic waste per year, which ends up leaking into water bodies or green areas.
With regard to the source segregation program, only 23% of households participate in it, which highlights the need to reinforce awareness-raising strategies to increase participation. This situation could be related to the fact that, in 2024, only 0.16% of the district budget was allocated to environmental education, which underscores the importance of strengthening this area to promote sustained change in the culture of citizenship with regard to plastic waste management.
Cayma’s City Action Plan
In this regard, and with the participation of various sectors such as the public, academia, organized civil society, and businesses, the Action Plan for the district of Cayma was developed, which is based on four components:
1) Institutional management and plastic waste;
2) Minimization and collection of plastic waste;
3) Participation and commitment of recycling stakeholders;
4) Entrepreneurship and innovation in plastic waste.
Each of these components has a series of key actions and indicators, such as the number of regulations modified or designed and approved to prevent or minimize the use of plastic, the number of families participating in the source separation program, the number of kilograms of recyclable inorganic waste delivered, and the number of tons of waste recovered by the recyclers’ association, among others.
Participants at the Cayma Action Plan workshop discuss strategies to prevent plastic leakage. This collaborative process emphasizes that every sector has a key role to play in protecting the environment from waste.
Government officials, recyclers, youth volunteers, and private sector leaders gather in Cayma to co-create the district’s Action Plan. Roughly 30 stakeholders attended each workshop to collaboratively design solutions for plastic pollution.