Abstract The research developed in this study is exploratory, descriptive and the quantitative method, it characterizes the urban solid waste of the ten communes of the city of San José de Cúcuta and compares the results obtained with those of a similar investigation carried out 20 years. This comparison concludes that there have been significant changes in solid waste generated in the city, increasing food waste, cardboard, plastic, glass and cans and decreasing garden waste, paper and metals. In addition, surveys were conducted indicating that about one third of the population makes waste separation evidencing the existence of the recycling culture.