A Verity investigation has observed that a huge pile of garbage has taken over the Center Street community in central Monrovia, creating a worsening environmental and public health crisis for residents.
According to community members, the situation has persisted for weeks without intervention, despite repeated complaints to the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC).
Residents describe the crisis as a “ticking time bomb” that threatens their health, safety, and overall quality of life.
“We have been begging MCC to clear this mess, but nobody is listening. It feels like they don’t care if we get sick or die here,” said Martha Jolo, a long-time resident who sells along the roadside.
The overflowing waste has begun to spill into the roadway, obstructing movement and attracting clouds of flies and other pests.
Plastic bags, rotten food, feces, medical waste, and others refuse to sit openly in the sun, emitting foul odors that blanket the neighborhood.
Environmental health experts warn that such conditions create breeding grounds for bacteria and parasites, turning a simple pile of garbage into a dangerous environmental pollutant.
When rain falls, contaminated runoff flows into nearby drains and waterways, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. Stagnant puddles around the waste also promote mosquito breeding, potentially heightening cases of malaria and dengue fever in an already vulnerable population.
The smell alone is unbearable. Every day, my children cough because of the stench. This is not a way for people to live,” said Sarah Toe another resident.
Residents say the health risks are no longer hypothetical-they are already experiencing them.
Children and elderly people, in particular, are suffering from frequent respiratory infections due to inhaling fumes from the decaying waste.
Cases of diarrhea, skin infections, and fever have also risen sharply within the community.
Rats and cockroaches, now seen in unusually high numbers, further increase the risk of disease transmission, including leptospirosis and other rodent-borne infections.
“My baby has been sick twice this month because of this environment. We can’t cook, we can’t breathe properly-everything smells like garbage,” said Agnes Barchue.
Neglect by the Monrovia City Corporation
Residents blame the worsening situation on what they call blatant neglect by the Monrovia City Corporation.
They say MCC sanitation trucks have not visited the area for an extended period, despite the garbage pile visibly growing to an alarming size.
Many community members claim they have notified MCC officials on multiple occasions, but received either empty promises or no response at all.
Business owners in the area say the trash is driving away customers, hurting their livelihoods, yet they feel abandoned by the very city authorities responsible for waste management.
Residents of Center Street are calling on the MCC, the Ministry of Health, and the Environmental Protection Agency to intervene immediately before the situation escalates into a full-blown health disaster.
They argue that garbage collection is not a luxury but a basic service essential to maintaining public health and safety.
As the waste continues to grow and conditions worsen, community members fear that without quick and serious action, Center Street could soon become the epicenter of an avoidable disease outbreak.
For now, they wait, and inhale the stench, hoping that authorities finally recognize the urgency of a crisis festering in the heart of the capital.
