Environment Ministry and Marea Verde to Launch Project Tackling Trash in Seven Urban Rivers in Panama

Panama's Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) and the organization Marea Verde have signed a cooperation agreement to launch the "Siete Cuencas" project. This initiative aims to significantly reduce solid waste pollution in seven key urban rivers within the capital before the debris enters the Bay of Panama.

The agreement will bolster efforts in cleaning, monitoring, and managing waste in the Curundú, Matasnillo, Río Abajo, Matías Hernández, Juan Díaz, Tapia, and Cabra rivers. The primary goal is to intercept garbage that pollutes the bay and ultimately the ocean. Marea Verde, in collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup, is spearheading this effort, which also includes developing environmental education programs for students, community groups, and local residents.

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The best way to protect our rivers and seas is to prevent trash from reaching them. This convention demonstrates that when the state, environmental organizations, local authorities, and citizens work in a coordinated manner, it is possible to generate sustainable solutions that improve the quality of life of the population.

Minister of Environment Juan Carlos Navarro stated that the alliance offers a concrete response to one of the city's major environmental challenges. "The best way to protect our rivers and seas is to prevent trash from reaching them," he said. Navarro emphasized that coordinated action between the state, environmental organizations, local authorities, and citizens can lead to sustainable solutions that improve public quality of life.

Mirei Endara de Heras, president of Marea Verde, highlighted that the partnership with MiAmbiente will expand the project's impact. She noted that it aims to establish a management model that not only intercepts waste but also generates scientific data, encourages behavioral changes, and mobilizes communities to actively participate in solving solid waste pollution. The project has already begun interventions in three of the seven prioritized basins: Juan Díaz, Río Abajo, and Matías Hernández, where environmental education activities have also taken place.

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This alliance with MiAmbiente will allow us to expand the impact of the Siete Cuencas project and consolidate a management model that not only intercepts waste before it reaches the sea, but also generates scientific information, promotes behavioral changes, and mobilizes communities to become part of the solution to solid waste pollution.