The Subcommittee on Population, Environment and Development of the National Assembly of Panama, has met to discuss and enrich Bill 1090, which seeks to strengthen environmental protection measures by promoting recycling and the circular economy, in addition to introducing other relevant provisions.
The proposing deputy, Gabriel Silva, explains that the main objective of the bill is to establish a legal framework that promotes recycling and the circular economy, with the purpose of promoting sustainability in Panama and safeguarding the health of both the population and the environmental environment.
Silva emphasizes that this legislative initiative will not only promote recycling and the circular economy, but will also stimulate job creation, facilitate the use and transformation of products, and contribute to addressing the problem of waste management.
During the session of the subcommittee, there was the active participation of representatives of key institutions such as the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI), as well as the private sector, including the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep) and several relevant associations, who offered valuable contributions to the project.
Panama faces a significant challenge in terms of waste management, being the second country in Latin America with the highest production of waste per capita, only behind Chile. Despite this, the country has a low recycling rate, with only 5% of the waste generated being recycled, compared to 10% in Chile.
The Cerro Patacón landfill, the main place where garbage is dumped from Panama City, receives 70 tons of garbage every month and has generated serious problems in terms of both public health and environmental for nearby communities. This example illustrates the urgency of addressing the problem of waste management in the country.
Very excited to see this proposed bill! But much more needs to be done to educate people of all ages about the negative impact of trash on the beautiful beaches, in streams, and in the cities. As regular trash collectors on our morning walks between Playa Blanca and Buenaventura, we are constantly amazed at the amount of glass, cans, plastic bottles, clothing, snack bags, styrofoam plates, cups, forks and spoons, etc. we collect!
Our visit to Panama City in February was a very distressing one as we had never seen so much trash in 20 years of visiting Panama at bus stops, in the gutters, overflowing garbage cans, etc. And the Interamerican Highway is filled with litter too…
The overall amount of visible garbage each and every day is not good for the environment, health, or the promotion of tourism which is a great part of the economy of Panama!
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND KEEP PANAMA SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL?