Contaminating the environment

PANAMA. For Panamanians, it is no secret how dirty and littered with trash our streets, avenues and sidewalks have become. Our once clean city is now a memory of the past. The city’s attractions are hidden under a veil of waste.

For those inhabiting populated areas such as Calidonia, the garbage problem is even worse. Calidonia has poor sanitation services and practices due to its residents’ socioeconomic condition. Fighting insalubrity is not easy, says Calidonia resident, Jose Rodriguez.

For Jeny Echeverria, director of the National Association for the Conservation of Nature (ANCON), the accumulation of garbage in Panama City is a major source of contamination that has spread to the rest of the country.

The problem has two parts: the lack of environmental education and the lack of resources for waste collection.

Although much has been said on the effects of excessive generation of waste on environment and health, the concept has not fully sunk in the minds of the population.

Most Panamanians are still not fully aware of the process of collecting and final disposal of organic and inorganic waste, she said. Echeverria considers that environmental education needs to be constant and focused on looking for alternatives to get Panamanians to develop good hygiene habits.

The consequences of an excessive generation of garbage are diseases, water and air pollution, and the proliferation of plagues caused by flies, mosquitoes and rodents. Meningitis, malaria and rabies are some of the resulting diseases, according to ANCON.

For Rafael Reyes, head of the municipal garbage collection department (DIMAUP), the problem lies in the institution’s lack of resources to offer an adequate service.

DIMAUP has 82 garbage trucks, yet only 50 are in working conditions. “Money is needed to maintain the mobile units,” Reyes said.

The central government currently owes $28 million to the institution, drastically impeding their work.

Meanwhile, environmentalists agree on small steps that we can all take to help control the rising problem. Learning to reduce, reuse and recycle are the best options to help preserve our environment in a healthy and clean state.

When shopping, take your own bags and avoid buying non-recyclable goods. Reuse plastics, clothes, toys and similar household items as much as possible.

Finally, recycle plastics, glasses, electrical appliances, tetra packs, cardboard, and paper by taking them to foundations in charge of transforming them into useful materials. These steps will both minimize the amount of garbage generated and help the environment.

Some of the recycling organizations in Panama are: Fundacion Accion Social por Panama (FAS) at Via Cincuentenario (Info: 226-6602) and Papelera Istmeña at Tocumen (Info: 236-6832).