- The Clean Caribbean project campaign seeks to reduce pollution in the Ulúa and Chamelecón rivers, as well as in the Caribbean Sea.
- During the event, the selective collection route was also presented.
El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras - May 16, 2025. In order to promote solid waste separation from the source and reduce environmental pollution, the Municipality of El Progreso, Yoro, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Mesoamerica) launched the campaign “Separando Ando”. This campaign seeks to raise awareness among the population of the northern coast of the country about the importance of correctly classifying waste to minimize its impact on the rivers and the Caribbean Sea. They also presented the route of separate collection that will operate in the municipality and will recover recyclable waste.
These actions are part of the Clean Caribbean project, implemented by WWF Mesoamerica with the support of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany. Its goal is to establish an efficient waste management model in four Honduran municipalities, including El Progreso, promoting the separation of organic, recyclable and non-recyclable materials from their sources:
- Organics: fruit and vegetable peels, coffee and tea grounds, garden waste and food scraps, which can be composted to generate organic fertilizer.
- Recyclables: plastic bottles, glass containers, aluminum cans, paper and cardboard, which will be processed to create new products.
- Non-recyclables: toilet paper, wet wipes, used napkins, plastic fast food containers, among others, which will be disposed in sanitary landfills.
The campaign will be advertised through social media, local radio, print media, an educational website, a mobile App, educational materials and solid waste separation guides. Its design is based on field research, focus groups and previous experience analysis, with the intention of encouraging sustainable habit changes in the population. This will be accompanied by other actions in the municipality, such as the separate collection route, which will be operated by local recyclers and will allow recyclable waste to be used and transferred to a transformation center.
"The project includes multiple components to improve waste management in cities. Not only do we seek to raise awareness, but also to get people to adopt habits that benefit the environment," said Mauricio Mejía, WWF representative in Honduras and Senior Food Production Officer.
Fredy Aguilar, Environmental Manager of the Municipality of El Progreso, pointed out that the municipality is committed with this project, not only because of the Separando Ando campaign, but also by providing valuable instruments for the management of solid waste in the municipality, such as the Waste Characterization Study and the Waste Management Master Plan. “We must be responsible with our waste,” he said.
Separate collection route is presented
Rafael Valladares, consultant for the Clean Caribbean project, presented the pilot collection route designed for the municipality of El Progreso. This route covers the main commercial areas of the city, as well as different educational establishments. It will be operated by local recyclers who, on specific days, will collect recyclable or valuable materials and take them to the recycling center, dignifying their work.
For more information on how to participate in the campaign and access educational resources, please visit www.separandoando.org
