Determinants of environmental sanitation in Costa Rica

Abstract

Introduction: environmental sanitation is seen as one of the most significant challenges in terms of planning and execution of national-local development strategies from a holistic vision, which would come to contribute to the improvement of people's quality of life and the generation of environmentally sustainable environments.

Objective: the objective of this article is to analyze the main determinants that affect environmental sanitation conditions in Costa Rica, to provide an overview of the current challenges, opportunities and recommendations faced by municipalities to improve the environmental situation of their communities.

Methodology: An analysis of sanitation was conducted from six theoretical approaches proposed in the Graduation Seminar entitled «Principales determinantes que inciden en las condiciones de saneamiento ambiental en las nueve regiones del territorio costarricense, establecidas por el Ministerio de Salud» (Main determinants that affect the conditions of environmental sanitation in the nine regions of the Costa Rican territory, established by the Ministry of Health). The methodology was based on studies case study, through which the determinants that affect the conditions of environmental sanitation were identified and, for the construction of these, a sample of nine municipalities was selected and the persons in charge of the environmental management departments were interviewed.

Results: as part of the results, geographical, environmental, socio-cultural, economic, and political determinants were identified, which are part of the framework of environmental management strategies implemented by the municipalities in their respective local spaces.

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