A planned construction debris disposal site in Tijuana remains stalled under Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz because the city has not secured the required environmental protection ruling. The facility, known in Mexico as a “banco de tiro,” would give builders and contractors a legal place to dump construction waste for the first time in the city.
The Secretaría de Desarrollo Territorial y Urbano (Secretary of Territorial and Urban Development) is responsible for obtaining the environmental clearance. Without that ruling, the project cannot move forward. No timeline has been announced for when the permit process might be completed.
No Legal Option for Construction Debris
Tijuana currently has zero authorized facilities for depositing construction debris. Builders, demolition crews, and renovation contractors have no compliant disposal option anywhere in the city. The gap in infrastructure has persisted across multiple administrations.
The result is predictable: construction waste ends up dumped illegally on vacant lots and roadsides throughout Tijuana’s neighborhoods. Piles of concrete, rebar, drywall, and other demolition materials accumulate in colonias across the city, creating both environmental and public health concerns.
Illegal Dumping Fills the Void
The absence of a banco de tiro is a direct driver of illegal dumping citywide. An estimated 40% of new construction in Tijuana is already built without permits, according to a 2023 KPBS investigation into the city’s infrastructure challenges. That level of unregulated development generates enormous volumes of debris with nowhere legal to go.
For anyone renovating a home or building a property in Tijuana, the situation creates a practical problem. Contractors who want to dispose of waste properly cannot do so. Those who dump illegally risk fines and scrutiny from municipal authorities, yet the city itself has failed to provide an alternative.
A Familiar Pattern
The stalled banco de tiro fits a broader pattern of infrastructure delays in Tijuana. The city’s rapid growth has long outpaced its waste management capacity. Tijuana’s population exceeds 2 million, and construction activity remains constant as new housing developments, commercial projects, and home renovations continue across the metropolitan area.
Until the environmental ruling is issued and the disposal site becomes operational, contractors will continue to face the same dilemma. The Burgueño Ruiz administration has not publicly stated what is causing the delay or when the environmental review might be completed.
This story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.