Trash is one of the serious problems affecting the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, as irresponsible individuals openly discard their waste, several residents of this port reported.
Benjamín Cupul, one of them, lamented that in the ports, several of the wetlands are used as garbage dumps. He cited, for example, the area next to the municipal cemetery, which has become an open-air landfill.
Another area filled with waste is under the cable-stayed bridge, located a few kilometers from Las Coloradas. Ismael Rojas stated that this site is currently where tourist agencies bring visitors for boat rides, and despite that, the service providers should keep the place clean.
He pointed out that the small wooden dock located under the bridge is full of waste, and it is also used as a restroom. During a quick tour, garbage bags, plastics, and other waste could be seen scattered between the lagoon and the mangroves.
The interviewees reiterated that the problem is not limited to the mentioned areas; it is widespread throughout the community. It should be the opposite, a place free of open-air garbage, especially considering that often these waste materials end up in nesting areas of flamingos or sea turtle nesting grounds, which can harm them.
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