Quito’s mayor, Pabel Muñoz, is asking for garbage collection workers to be exempt from the upcoming curfew, warning that shifting operations to daytime hours could worsen traffic across the city.
The curfew is set to run from May 3 to May 18, between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., restricting movement during overnight hours. City officials say this creates a direct conflict with how Quito currently manages waste collection.
According to Muñoz, about 40% of the city’s garbage is collected at night. Moving that volume to daytime hours would significantly increase congestion, particularly on already busy routes.
The request comes after Interior Minister Nataly Morillo suggested that municipalities adjust their schedules to comply with the restrictions. She indicated that garbage collection crews would need to finish earlier, as no special permits would be issued to allow movement during curfew hours.
Muñoz pushed back on that approach, saying the logistics of rescheduling are far from simple and could create broader problems. He argued that while the curfew falls within national authority, local services like waste collection require operational flexibility to function effectively.
Concerns have also been raised about the potential for garbage to accumulate if nighttime collection is halted, a situation that has already occurred in other cities.
City officials are now seeking a solution that would allow essential services to continue without disrupting daily life.