How Plastic is Flooding the Mexican Coast

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): In Mexico, the majority of waste that is not collected is plastic, which ultimately finds its way to the coast. It is the debris that is carried by ocean currents until it accumulates on the shores, later returning out to sea and carried by the waves. Or it lies fading in the sun and brackish water, tangled in the roots of mangroves, in ecosystems that have become impromptu garbage dumps.

According to a report from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), pollution on the Mexican coasts has reached critical levels, with the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas, and Veracruz leading the way. “It is very difficult to quantify how much garbage ends up in the natural environment. But, it is estimated that the equivalent of two truckloads of plastic garbage is emptied into the ocean every minute,” says Nick Leopold, director of Plastic-Free Oceans at Oceana, a marine conservation organization. “Materials travel from cities by rivers, or through the air, and have a very heavy impact on ecosystems,” says Leopold, who is responsible for a recently launched campaign to regulate the use of unnecessary plastics in the capital.

In Mexico, where less than 6% of plastic is recycled, the absence of plastic waste management measures is one of the main reasons for the pollution. A problem that is increasing in rural municipalities far from urban centers that lack a public garbage collection service. In the absence of efficient government policies to address this serious challenge, private initiatives and civil society organizations dedicate funds so that plastic garbage — which kills more than a million marine species a year — does not end up in the ocean. This is the case for a network of alliances called Comunidad Nit, which originated on the coast of Oaxaca and were founded to promote recycling and foster the circular economy. This project, promoted by Femsa, an association that belongs to Coca-Cola, seeks to minimize marine pollution and strengthen the recycling chain at various points along the Mexican Pacific coast.

To this end, recyclable waste collection sites were installed on beaches in Puerto Escondido, a coastal destination that is popular among tourists. The sites are used for “PET or hard plastic bottles such as liquid detergents and shampoo, polypropylene bottles, aluminum cans, paper, and cardboard, among other materials that the community can take and recycle,” explains Iberia Rodríguez, a member of the Nit Community and one of the main promoters of the initiative. According to the activist, “through the participation of residents, government, organizations, businesses, and other key tourism stakeholders, this alliance aims to prevent waste from choking ecosystems.”

According to studies on the environmental impact of plastic pollution, the most common waste that can be found in the natural environment are plates, disposable cups, bags and bottles. These plastic items make up 90% of the total garbage on some beaches. But, this is just an estimate. According to Semarnat, the information that exists on waste management is incomplete due to the lack of monitoring of plastic flows in collection centers. In Mexico, these facilities are where most of this type of waste will end its useful life.

Courtesy: www.elpais.com