During the recently concluded summer holiday season, staff from the Ministry of Sustainable Development (SDS) and volunteers managed to remove more than 481 tons of garbage and other waste in the mangrove, beach and highway areas along the Yucatecan coast.
As part of the efforts promoted by Yucatan Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal to protect the marine ecosystem, the SDS reported that during the holiday, 46 clean-ups were organized, in which more than 4,650 people took part.
Of the total, 69 tons of trash were in marshes and mangroves; 33 tons in beach area and 379 tons were on roads and highways in the coastal zone of 17 communities within 12 municipalities.
The cleanups were carried out in coordination with the secretariats of Fisheries and Sustainable Aquaculture, Public Works and Tourism Development as well as with the municipalities, schools and the general public.
And more than 15 non-governmental organizations cooperated with the effort. Among them were Yucatán Limpia tu Playa, Elefante Verde, la Fundación del Empresariado Yucateco, Mujeres Sustentables, Saca tu Sabucán, Voluntarios UADY, Cero Basura and the Business Coalition against Climate Change.
Earlier, a Letter of Intent signed by representatives of the Mérida, Progreso, Hunucmá, Kanasín, Conkal, Ucú, Umán and Tixpéhual governments signaled the start of the Urban Solid Waste Management and Special Management Program of the Merida Urban Metropolitan Area.