Thanks to the amazing people at the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeepers (NPWKs), Santa Teresa is the first town in Costa Rica to have set up a program to battle the problem of microplastic and tragic plastic. Microplastic is a problem that plagues the globe, polluting the world´s waterways and beaches. Sadly when plastic breaks down into tiny pieces it is impossible to recycle it via traditional methods.
The program is called The Beach Clean Up! The NPWKs, with the help of all its donors, now has five employees who are dedicated 100% to cleaning the beaches Monday to Friday, 7am to 4pm. This includes Mal Pais, Playa Carmen, Santa Teresa, Hermosa and Manzanillo. The residues gathered are taken to the collection station located next door to the Green World store in Santa Teresa, where they are sorted and dealt with in the appropriate manner. Plastics capable of traditional recycling are taken to the Waterkeepers-BIONIC recycling center in Cobano (located at the Vivero Lacón). The recycling center now employs 12 people, has recycling drop-off points all over the district of Cobano and provides recycling services to over 700 users. You can learn more about the Waterkeepers-BIONIC recycling center here. The microplastics that are collected are recycled via the new environmental initiative of Paisajes sin Plástico. The microplastics that are collected on our beaches are inserted into concrete blocks for construction, using RESIN8 technology. This is a fantastic new initiative, that seeks to try to be part of the solution for the terrible pollution that comes with plastic use.
The recycling initiatives that the NPWKs has undertaken over the last ten years and the recycling system now in place in our area is a fantastic achievement. It involved a lot of hard work, as well as negotiation with and cooperation from local government bodies. The NPWKs are involved in many other ways in our community, fighting to keep our waters clean. You can find out what they are up to and how you can participate in their vital activities at their website - https://www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org/en/
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