Context

The Clean Caribbean project: an integrated, public-private approach to reduce marine litter in the Caribbean coast of Guatemala and Honduras, aims to reduce the amount of solid waste that is carried by the rivers Motagua in Guatemala, and Chamelecon and Ulua in Honduras, into the Mesoamerican Caribbean. The project is supported by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, based on a decision of the German Bundestag. 

In Guatemala, the Motagua river carries the residues and solid waste of 63 cities, including parts of the Guatemala City Metropolitan Area, and other important urban centers of the Northeastern region of the country, such as Teculutan and Rio Hondo, cities that have developed in the Motagua watershed, as well as Puerto Barrios, of the most important marine ports of the Guatemalan Atlantic Ocean.

In Honduras, the Chamelecon and Ulua River carry residues and solid waste from the main industrial cities of Honduras, San Pedro Sula, Choloma and El Progreso, as well as Puerto Cortes, one of the most important seaports of Northern Honduras.

 

The Clean Caribbean Project

In Guatemala, the Motagua River carries residues and solid waste from 63 cities in the country. 66% of the residues and solid waste produced in urban areas are not collected. There is no guarantee that the 34% collected has an adequate final disposal. Only 4.5% is recycled.

In Honduras, half of the cities are responsible for 54% of the residues and solid waste discharged into the Chamelecon and Ulua river basins. 87% of the residues and solid waste is burned or deposited in illegal dumps. Only 11% is managed in a sanitary landfill and only 2% is recycled.

Both countries are experiencing rapid urbanization, adding more pressure to an already difficult scenario in terms of proper residues and solid waste management, so the resulting knowledge will be shared with other municipalities and companies.

Places of interest

The Clean Caribbean project will be implemented specifically in 8 cities of Guatemala and Honduras.

• Guatemala: Guatemala City, Teculutan, Gualan, and Puerto Barrios.
• Honduras: San Pedro Sula, Choloma, El Progreso, and Puerto Cortes.
 
These municipalities were selected due to their importance to the watersheds of the rivers Motagua in Guatemala, and Chamelecon and Ulua in Honduras.
 

Participating institutions

News

The Clean Caribbean project started at the end of 2023 and will reduce the amount of plastics and other solid waste that reach the Caribbean Ocean. We share some of the actions that we have completed.

Inception workshop

Recently, the Clean Caribbean Project, implemented by WWF Mesoamerica alongside strategic allies of Honduras and Guatemala, hosted the inception workshop, in the week of January the 29^th to February 1^st. This event was the framework to begin with the actions that the project will promote to reduce the number of plastics and other solid residues that make it to the Mesoamerican Reef from the rivers Motagua (Guatemala), and Ulua and Chamelecon in Honduras. Read more.

Fieldtrip to analyze behaviors related to solid waste.

Last week, as part of the actions of the Clean Caribbean Project, representatives of WWF Mesoamerica, alongside with the Behavioural Insights Team, visited the eight cities that are prioritized by the project. The purpose of the trip was to identify key behaviors of the citizens and their relation with solid waste, as well as to analyze strategic points, and thus develop a strategy that advocates to reduce the plastics that reach the Mesoamerican Reef. Read more 

This project is supported by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, based on a decision of the German Bundestag.