October 2016

Pez Maya
2016 BEACH CLEAN AT PASO LAGARTOS, SIAN KAAN BIOSPHERE
Objective
Develop awareness and change behaviours towards one of the most serious pollution problem: Marine Litter. Trash in the oceans and on shore affects marine and related ecosystems, and wildlife/human wellbeing.
Summary
On the 1st of October, GVI staff and volunteers joined a beach clean at Paso Lagartos, a coastal vicinity of a few kilometres inside the Sian KaAn Biosphere, in order to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the International Beach Clean Day, an accomplishment that 90 countries have joined. More
than just temporarily removing trash from an area, the event is an Ocean Conservancy initiative that
aims to create consciousness about the source of the problem. The only real solution is to prevent
litter from reaching our oceans, so we have to change our practices and behaviour to stop producing
unmanageable amounts of waste.

Report
The beach clean was organised by GVI Mexico, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
(CONANP), and the local NGO Amigos de Sian KaAn. Staff and volunteers of such organisations and
institutions joined, members of Punta Allen community, and tourist operators at Paso Lagartos, a
coastal area where marine turtles come every year during May and November to lay eggs (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 GVI staff and volunteers coordinated and participated in the beach clean at Paso Lagartos
commemorating the International Beach Clean Day

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A total of 1,323.5 kg of litter were collected with the help of 127 people (Fig. 2).
ENTITY
Global Vision International staff and volunteers
Local NGO Amigos de Xian KaAn
CONANP National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
C.R.O.C. Syndicate of workers
Tourism Cooperative Punta Allen
Tourism Cooperative Nativos
Tourism Cooperative Capechn
Tourism Cooperative Community Tours Xian Kaan Muyil
Community Members of the village Javier Rojo Gmez (Punta Allen)
Community Biosphere Rangers

NUMBER OF PEOPLE
34
6
13
35
4
5
5
5
5
6

All of the waste materials were classified and recorded following Ocean Conservancy methodology.
(Fig. 3)

Fig. 3 Detailed information of collected waste materials was recorded following Ocean Conservancy
methodology. The summary was then sent to this organisation to add to their database.

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A total of 16950 pieces of trash were registered, of which plastic items (bottles, cutlery, caps etc.)
were the most abundant. (Fig. 4)
Material

# of Pieces

Plastic bottles

2498

Plastic bottle caps and other plastic containers

3543

Plastic cutlery(spoons, forks and knifes)

1991

Plastic and polystyrene food packaging

905

Pieces of plastic (>2.5cm)

4811

Pieces of polystyrene(>2.5cm)

880

Shoes

877

Glass bottles

372

Fig. 4 List of most abundant items collected

The information was sent to Ocean Conservancy to add to the global report that will be published in
2017, and will be accessible on http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/marine-debris

It was a great achievement that brought different organisations and community members
inside the Sian KaAn Biosphere and surroundings together. We engaged in addressing a
serious problem that affects human wellbeing and environmental sustainability worldwide.
As consumers and producers of these materials we must change our habits and behaviours
in order to achieve real solutions. One of our main objectives here at Pez Maya is to help
volunteers realise that everyday choices and actions have an important impact, locally and
beyond.

For more information on the projects here in Mexico, visit:

http://www.gvi.co.uk/location/yucatan/

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