1st Annual Beach Clean Up Guatemala 2022

GUATEMALA: Over 1,000 pounds of plastic waste has been collected at a beach in Iztapa, Escuintla Guatemala by a team and friends of Billfish Conservation Project.

During a campaign as part of the 1st annual beach clean up 2022, BCP team collected garbage from the Iztapa beach for two-and-a-half hours and found that the area was littered with various plastic material.

“The waste collected from the around half-km-long stretch of the beach included 965 lbs of plastics, 58 lbs of organic waste including paper and other trash, 125 glass bottles and 75 metal cans,” a spokesperson of the Billfish Conservation Project.

The trash consisted of plastics used for food and other packagings, plastic caps, spoons, cups, glasses, straws, pens, bags, toys, and decorative items, fishing net pieces and tarpaulin sheets, he said.

“Our addiction to single-use plastic and lack of its waste management has resulted in a global epidemic of plastic pollution,” he said.

The garbage was later handed over to the Local Authorities for further processing, he said.

The international coastal cleanup campaign began on 2022 and will be a campaign for the next years, plastic consumption has gone up, the spokesperson said.

“We know plastic has a negative impact and we know where it is coming from. We need to prevent this pollution, and more importantly, cut it off at the source,” he added.

Over 30 staff members and friends participated in the drive, led by Ana Rocio Samayoa and Juan Manuel Cobar from the Billfish Conservation Project, Pacific Fins and Mandarina Soul.

Thanks to the support from: Pacific Fins Resort, Mandarina Soul, Yeti Coolers, Huk Gear, Super 24, Doggy Style, Costa Sunglasses, Maaji, Centro de Conservacion Marina, Pesca Guate and The Billfish Conservation Project.

Looking forward for 2023 Beach Clean Up COMING SOON!