Marine Debris Removal, Prevention and Assessment

Since September 2021 Alelí in collaboration with Villanova University and Protectores de Cuencas have been implementing an ‘Assessment of Pathways and Degradation of Marine Debris within the Guánica Watershed and Surrounding Region of Southwest Puerto Rico’, a NOAA funded project. Our impact region include the municipalities of Guánica and Lajas, representing a population with significant socioeconomic disadvantages. Guánica is a community overburdened by marine debris and plastic pollution. In our ongoing NOAA funded project, in our preliminary data report for 2022-2023, we found that across all sampling sites including Las Pardas and Ballena beaches, more than 67% of debris collected were plastics and 80% of debris transported by rivers is plastic. For this reason we are strongly committed to long term marine debris removal, prevention and assessment.