A survey conducted by the Más Río Menos Basura collective has revealed an alarming increase in the amount of waste collected in the area of the Paraná River and the islands compared to the year 2024 and its environmental consequences.
The increase in the total mass of contaminating materials is the most significant variation compared to the figures from 2023. Additionally, an increase in the quantity of plastic objects thrown into the river has been observed.
In October 2024, a cleaning event was carried out with the participation of over 100 volunteers distributed in six different sectors. This ninth edition of the environmental gathering concluded with one and a half tons less of waste in the river. In 2024, the same initiative had managed to remove over 200 kilograms of trash. This time, the collected materials filled 13 garbage containers.
A member of the NGO highlighted that one of the causes of the increase in waste was the rising water levels, which carry debris and make fewer places accessible. Furthermore, it was clarified that the items found on the opposite bank of the river were not included in the previous count as they were taken to a different analysis point.
Critical Areas and the Need for Municipal Intervention
Areas near the campground of the Municipal Workers Union and Costa Alfa were identified as the sites with the highest amount of waste. There are no signs of a decrease in water pollution with plastics.
NGOs insist that the Municipality must intensify its efforts as part of the solution. They emphasized the importance of the effectiveness of the regulations issued to promote environmental care.
The Origin of Más Río Menos Basura
The waste collection and sorting day in the Paraná was first carried out in 2016. It was at that moment that the Más Río Menos Basura collective was born, and the activity was repeated annually. As time passed, the results were also repeated, highlighting the significant impact of plastic among the contamination factors.
The latest journey along the coast and islands had a striking outcome. Volunteers filled 13 containers in three hours of work. Far from finding better environmental conditions, cleaning remains a pending issue in the river, and the environmental consequences continue to grow.
Cover photo: Celina Mutti Lovera / La Capital
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