Rotary collects pounds of plastic waste from Mopan River

By Aaron Humes: Residents of the westernmost town of Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, have been asked to watch their garbage disposal after a disappointing find on Wednesday by the Benque satellite club of the Rotary Club of San Ignacio.

The group designed and installed a “bio-barrier” on the Mopan River near the entrance to town and managed to collect 130.5 lbs of plastic waste in a period of 48 hours (rain contributed to it).

As announced on social media Wednesday night, “Approximately 98% (of the waste) is from local market products, 2% brought downriver from our neighbors. Styrofoam comprises most of it, followed by PET (plastic bottles), plastic bags and detergents.

The club is considering another barrier to be posted elsewhere on the river, which merges with the Macal near San Ignacio to form the Belize River. Waste from the west carries east to Belize City and the Caribbean Sea, eventually reaching the Belize Barrier Reef.

It calls on Benqueños to be better in disposing of the various full bags of used toilet tissues, pampers, detergents, PET, straws, plastic bags, toys, etc caught by the barrier. “Be smart, stop littering, love yourself and our environment.”

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