In Agadir, a proliferation of waste hotspots is causing frustration among residents in several neighborhoods. Piles of household waste and foul odors have led locals to feel neglected, prompting concerns about what they describe as uneven urban cleaning services across the city.
The situation is particularly acute at El Farah 8 Residence, where residents report repeatedly contacting relevant services without receiving a concrete response.
“We are residents of this neighborhood. As you can see, the area is full of waste, and every day we have to deal with the bad smells,” said Mohammed, a city resident.
He noted that the problem is not new. Residents have repeatedly reported waste dumps, especially on undeveloped plots where rubbish continues to accumulate. “We started complaining, we sent letters, and we exhausted every possible way of alerting the municipality. But no solution has been provided,” explained Abdellah Amzil, a residents’ representative.
The issue becomes particularly noticeable in nearby homes during the summer months, making it uncomfortable for residents to open their apartment windows. “In summer, people are at home, and you know how important it is to be able to open the windows and breathe. But when we open our windows, what do we breathe? The smell of waste,” he said.
Residents also complain about an increase in mosquitoes and other insects. “We are dealing with several problems, including allergies, mosquitoes, and certain harmful insects,” added the residents’ representative.
El Farah 8 is not an isolated case; several other Agadir neighborhoods, including El Farah, Al Wifaq, Al Wafa, Adrar, Tilila, and Hay Mohammadi, are reportedly facing similar waste problems.
For Noureddine Hamimou, a community activist, the situation raises questions about equitable treatment across the city’s different neighborhoods.
“We hope that Agadir’s city officials will apply what is known as territorial equity and give neighborhoods the same attention given to the tourist area,” he said.
Moustafa Anzam, another city resident, echoed this sentiment: “We cannot focus only on the tourist area and give it all the attention, with the necessary cleaning resources and logistics, while leaving Agadir’s neighborhoods in such a state.”
Waste collection practices are also a point of contention for residents. “The municipal truck comes in the morning and compresses the waste. The water that comes out then spills into the street and runs along the road,” explained Abdellah Amzil.
For residents, this issue extends beyond the city’s image. They are calling for regular interventions, the removal of existing waste hotspots, and long-term management of areas where rubbish continues to accumulate. “Agadir is a tourist city and should not be experiencing situations like this,” Moustafa Anzam emphasized.
