Serviestiba participates in a beach cleanup event in Veracruz

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Serviestiba volunteers participated in a beach cleanup event held in Veracruz, organized by the company Terpel. Companies from various sectors attended the event with a shared goal: to help care for the environment—specifically the marine ecosystem—given that vast quantities of plastic and other waste end up on beaches year after year due to improper disposal. Serviestiba’s "Blue Tide" (*Marea Azul*) volunteers worked together to collect all the trash they found, making a positive impact by supporting this valuable initiative aimed at raising awareness and preventing damage to the coastline. On a global scale, the magnitude of the problem is alarming. It is estimated that between 8 and 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans annually from land-based sources—often via rivers, stormwater runoff, and uncollected coastal litter. Furthermore, approximately 80% of marine debris originates from land-based activities. On beaches worldwide, more than 70% of the items found as trash are plastics: bottles, wrappers, bags, nets, and small fragments ("microplastics"). Panama also faces challenges that are reflected in local figures. For instance, recent campaigns have collected over 25,000 plastic bottles, nearly 1,700 plastic bags, and 1,516 cans, alongside tires, plastic foam, household appliances, toys, clothing, and other bulky waste items.