Mexican Municipalities Fined for Illegal Landfill Operations, Posing Health Risks to Thousands

The municipalities of Minatitlán and Cosoleacaque, in Veracruz, Mexico, have been issued a joint fine exceeding 18 million pesos (approximately $1.02 million USD as of February 28, 2026) by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa) for violating federal closure orders at the Las Matas landfill. The continued illegal dumping poses significant environmental and public health risks to surrounding communities.

Continued Operations Despite Closure Order

Despite an official closure order issued in September 2025, the municipal authorities continued to use the Las Matas site as a garbage dump, disregarding regulations for controlled landfills and causing damage to ongoing remediation efforts funded by public resources. The penalty, totaling 18,102,400 pesos, was levied against SIGIRES, the inter-municipal body responsible for operating the site. Excelsior and OEM reported on the fines.

Environmental and Health Concerns

The Las Matas landfill is located in a strategically vulnerable area between Coatzacoalcos and Minatitlán, crisscrossed by pipelines belonging to Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), high-voltage power lines, and wetland areas. Profepa identified several irregularities, including:

• Lack of control over leachate and biogas
• High risk of fires
• Potential contamination of aquifers
• Failure to reduce waste intake by the mandated 30%

These conditions create direct health risks for communities living near the landfill, including respiratory problems from methane, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter; aggravation of pre-existing conditions; and gastrointestinal and dermatological issues from contact with contaminated water or soil. Leachate, containing bacteria, heavy metals, and toxic substances, also encourages the proliferation of disease vectors like flies, mosquitoes, and rodents, increasing the risk of poisoning, allergies, and chronic illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly.

Affected Communities

An estimated 60,000 to 120,000 people reside in neighborhoods within the environmental and health risk zone, including areas in:

• West and northwest of Coatzacoalcos (Olmeca City, Puerto Esmeralda, Lomas de Barrillas, Las Barrillas)
• Areas near the Minatitlán airport and Transisthmian corridor (Las Matas, Insurgentes Norte, Nueva Mina)
• Lower areas of Cosoleacaque (Barrio Tercero, Díaz Ordaz, Veracruz, Los Mangos, Coacotla)

These locations are characterized by saturated soils, wetlands, and uncomplicated access to the landfill, leaving residents persistently exposed to contaminants.

Coatzacoalcos’ Progress and Future Compliance

Although Coatzacoalcos is transitioning to a new waste management system with support from Banobras, Minatitlán and Cosoleacaque continued illegal dumping for at least six months after the closure order. Profepa has emphasized that there will be no further extensions and that the municipalities must fully comply with the 2026 Operate Plan, including definitive closure and complete remediation of the site. Profepa stated that the continued operation constitutes property damage.