BRIEFS: Environment

Panamá viejo beach clean-up draws crowds

NORIEL GUTIERREZ/LA PRENSA

Volunteers help clean up beaches1089687

Dozens of volunteers showed up yesterday morning for the annual beach clean-up in Panamá Viejo.

The area is notorious for the large amounts of garbage that accumulates along the shore. The clean-up has been held since 1992, and is organized by several non- profit organizations. This year, the sponsors of the even included local Pro-Mar, Panamá Verde and the Audubon Society.

Among the beaches targeted by yesterday’s clean up efforts, were those in Costa del Este, a dumping ground for residents in nearby communities.

According to Rafael Reyes, of the Dirección Metropolitana de Aseo of the Municipio de Panamá, acknowledged the heaps of gargabe dumped at seashore were common, a sign of a lack of consciousness on the part of local residents, who throw their garbage in the rivers and creeks without considering its effect on the environment.

Jesús Centella, of the Asociación Panamá Verde, said that this year they had found less aluminum cans and other metals, as people have started to recycle, but noted that several unexpected items turned up, including a broken refrigerator.