Join the International Coastal Cleanup in Panama

Each year, countries around the world join together for one day in September to clean up their beaches, rivers, and shorelines. The cleanup effort is organized by Ocean Conservancy. The organization works to create the Ocean Trash Index, the world's largest item-by-item, location-by-location database of trash found in near-shore environments.

The cleanups have been taking place for over 30 years, with more than 225 million items of trash logged and removed from the world’s beaches and waterways.

This year, Panama and the Limpieza de Playas, Costas y Ríos group celebrates 25 years of joining in the international effort. Panama’s nation-wide Beach Cleanup will take place on September 25th, 2016. This year, up to 60 groups of volunteers are expected to participate with coordinators working to organize clean-ups nationwide. Over 5000 participants are expected to help out in the effort.  The Libra de Basura (LBD) group will be coordinating the Coronado, Playa Serena beach cleanup.

To take part, please join the Coronado cleanup group who will be meeting at 8:00 a.m. in Coronado, at the Coronado Bay public beach access. The cleanup will continue until 10:00 a.m. for those who would like to meet up with the group on the beach.

The public beach access in front of the Coronado Bay is located inside the Coronado community. Passing Luna Rossa (the Italian Restaurant) and La Cosita (the Mini Super), go straight past the hotel on your right-hand side.  Immediately after the hotel make a right heading towards the beach and the tower with the colorful balconies. There is a public beach access right in front of the Condo complex. Ask the guard to direct you to the beach if arriving after 8:00 a.m. as the group will likely already be in action.

For more info on the September 25th beach cleanup and other beach & street cleanups happening in the Coronado community contact the group via their facebook page - LibreDeBasura

Supplies have been provided by the Limpieza de Playas, Costas y Ríos (Beach, Coasts and River cleanups), a national group composed of Panama’s PROMAR, The National Association for the Conservation of Nature (Ancon), the Panama Green Association and The Audubon Society of Panama. The group has been working to clean up Panama for over two decades with the support of thousands of volunteers.

Beaches, rivers and coasts in Panama that will be cleaned as part of the 2016 International Coastal Cleanup

The province of Panama: The river mouth of Matias Hernandez in Costa del Este, Panama Viejo, Playa Veracruz, Playa Serena, Playa Leona, El Palmar, Punta Barco, Playa Gorgona, Rio Mar, Corona and Otoque.

Veraguas: Playa Reina, Torio, Malena, Santa Catalina, Bongo, Mutis, Mata Oscura, Mermejo Palo Seco, Puerto Nance and Rio Cobre.

The Darien: Punta Patiño.

Cocle: Playa Juan Hombrón.

Bocas del Toro: Playa Bluffs and Red Frog beach. 

Chiriquí: playas de Remedios (mangroves, Isla La Porcada), San Felix (Las Lajas & Mangroves) and San Lorenzo (Isla Boca Brava, San José, Bolaños, Boca Chica) & an underwater cleanup to remove a goast net. 

Azuero: El Rompió, Monagre, Guayaberos and Uverito in Los Santos.

Colón: Isla Grande, underwater cleanup.

Data collection from the International Coastal Cleanup

The purpose of the cleanup is not only to remove debris but also to collect valuable information about the type and amount of waste. The event also aims to educate people on the subject and to call attention to the need to resolve the worldwide pollution problem.

Every year the waste is sorted and weighed. In 2014, 90% of the waste collected in Panama was plastic. Other popular items included cigarette butts, packaging from food, cans, cups, lids and metal caps . 4% of the waste was from appliances, balloons, lighters, building materials and tires. 1% of the collected waste was from personal hygiene items (diapers, tampons, condoms and syringes). The last 1% collected was from fishing gear including rope, nets, buoys and traps.

The information collected helps many organizations, schools, municipalities, and companies develop solutions to pollution problems associated with marine debris.

The UN Environmental Assembly reported that during the 2015 International Coastal Cleanup More than eight million kilograms (18 million pounds) of trash, was collected by nearly 800,000 volunteers worldwide. The weight of trash was equivalent to the weight of over 100 Boeing 737s, a significant reduction in marine debris.

View the 2016 data collection report on the International Coastal Cleanup here 

If you are coordinating another beach cleanup in Panama as part of the international beach, coast and river cleanup please contact us so we can share the location of your beach cleanup with our readers.