Santo Domingo, April 13 (RHC)-- A dispute between a municipality in the Dominican Republic and its waste management company has become so bad that a state of emergency has been declared as garbage continues to pile up.

Santos Junior, the Mayor of Los Alcarrizos in the country’s capital city of Santo Domingo, declared the state of emergency because of rapidly accumulating garbage in the area leading to a health hazard.  The measure was unanimously backed by members of the municipal council who have asked for the help of the country’s Ministry of Health to prevent the possible outbreak of disease.

The dispute stems from an ongoing disagreement from municipalities and the Lajun Corporation. Lajun, which managed the city's landfill for garbage was seen to “dramatically” increase the fees to use the landfill, which then led to a boycott of the company from a number of municipalities.

The company says that the municipalities of Los Alcarrizos, Santo Domingo Norte, Santo Domingo Este and Pantoja since March 22nd, have refused to pay their bills and have carried out a media boycott which has also devolved into a “sabotage operation” where the entrance of the landfill has been blocked by the council.

The parties are also in dispute over who currently holds the contract over the landfill.  Lajun also says that its employees constantly feel under threat.  “We want to continue doing business in the Dominican Republic only under conditions in which we feel secure and confident.”