Dams of plastic
Plastic is a durable material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of it is used once and then discarded. Plastic cannot biodegrade; it breaks down into smaller and yet smaller pieces, polluting our waterways, choking our species, and damaging our health.
In the Goascoran, a river marking the border between El Salvador and Honduras, dams of plastic are created each rainy season. IUCN, together with governments and partners, works through four projects along the basin to implement integrated water resource management: BRIDGE, ICWL, Nuestra Cuenca, and AVE.
IUCN's 'Improved Coastal Watershed and Livelihoods' (ICWL) project aims to improve the management of the natural resources of the lower and coastal zone of the Goascorán river, including the battle against plastic pollution in the area.
Beneath the tens of thousands of landfills across the globe, toxic chemicals are seeping into groundwater and flowing downstream into lakes and rivers
The ICWL project is carrying out a study to analyze the solid waste accumulating at the Goascorán delta, where debris piled up in the mangroves area of the Chismuyo Bay (Honduras) and the Union Bay Natural Area (El Salvador).
A first analysis of the area shows that this accumulation is primarily composed of plastic and wood debris that, transported by the river, collects together creating a barrier. This has happened several times in the past after which the 'dam of debris' was washed out and discharged into the sea. The objective of the research now is to identify the primary source of waste and find a way to collect and treat it.
"Whilst the analysis is taking place, we are also working with local communities to create awareness about plastic pollution. Together with our local partners we have established plastic collection points where local farmers can dispose of their pesticide containers. Once a significant amount of plastic containers is collected, it is transported to Comayagua where it is shredded and transformed into energy production" ~ Emelie Weitnauer, ICWL Project Coordinator
Another initiative in the same basin, the Nuestra Cuenca Goascorán is investigating the economic-financial instruments that make watershed management sustainable and committing to build dialogue and stimulate debate among basin organizations, municipal authorities and representatives of the central government in order to find suitable solutions for the management of solid waste and liquid pollutants.
At international level, the IUCN project BRIDGE -which stands for 'Building River Dialogue and Governance'- has been working on promoting greater binational cooperation in the Goascoran.
The Goascorán watershed presents a complex level of joint management. No binational treaty exists to legalize and institutionalize transboundary cooperation for the basin's management. BRIDGE is bringing the multiplicity of actors in the basin together, including municipalities, NGOs, government institutions, and local economic development agencies, making their participation and engagement a priority. Sharing knowledge on good water governance and climate change adaptation among basin communities is a key part of BRIDGE's work, see here for a latest story.
"In Goascorán, knowledge of key actors on water governance has been strengthened, as well as support for the operational and planning mechanisms of the governance structures present in the basin: the Environmental Technical Boards of the North and South of La Unión in El Salvador –legally recognized- and the Basin Council of Goascorán, on the Honduran side" Julio Montes de Oca, Climate Change and Livelihood Unit Coordinator IUCN Mesoamerica
IUCN Case Study: The Goascorán River Basin: Honduras and El Salvador Revitalizing transboundary management integrating new and diverse stakeholders
Plastic pollution costs billions and impacts everything, from tourism and business, to biodiversity and human health.
Waste and plastic management is also key if communities want to use nature and ecosystem services as a strategy to adapt to climate change. The AVE project works with governments from both countries, to improve governance frameworks and scaling up adaptation practices that combine the conservation, management and restoration of the Goascorán river.
Through IUCN efforts and synergic implementation of projects it has been possible to sign a Declaration of Good Intentions between key actors of both countries (Honduras and El Salvador) towards the integrated management of solid waste pollution.
