Cali's Department of Environmental Management (Dagma) conducted an inspection and control operation in the El Peñón neighborhood, targeting gastronomic and commercial establishments. Officials visited 25 sites to check waste collection routes and promote source separation. The effort addresses citizen reports and aims to enhance sustainability in tourist areas.
On March 17, 2026, Cali's Dagma carried out a surveillance operation in El Peñón, a high-tourist-traffic area noted for its gastronomic sector. The Solid Waste Integral Management Group inspected 25 establishments, including restaurants, food plazas, and producers of construction, demolition, and hazardous waste. These checks are routine and follow citizen complaints about improper waste handling. So far in 2026, the group has conducted 52 inspections in gastronomic corridors citywide and over 100 across communes. Technicians verified collection route compliance, provided technical assistance, and stressed source separation and proper storage. A key focus was managing used cooking oil (ACU) to prevent discharge into drains or clandestine sites. Carlos Velásquez, a Dagma specialist, stated: “No se trata solo de vigilar sino de que los comerciantes entiendan que su operación y el acatamiento de las normas impacta directamente en la convivencia y la limpieza del barrio”. The operation involved support from Dagma's Central Operativa, Air Quality, Acoustics, and Fauna groups, as well as Policía Ambiental, Uaesp, and the secretariats of Public Health and Security and Justice. In 2026, fines (comparendos) were issued in 86 infraction cases under numeral 1 of article 111 of Law 1801 of 2016, which penalizes improper waste disposal.