SEMARNAT, ECOCE Recover Over 6t of Coastal Waste

One year after launching Mexico’s National Beach and Coast Cleanup and Conservation Strategy, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) reaffirmed its partnership with environmental nonprofit ECOCE after recovering and managing more than 6.4t of waste from 23 beaches across the country. The collaboration aims to strengthen waste recovery, traceability and recycling systems while generating data to support circular economy policies and improve waste management in coastal ecosystems.

According to SEMARNAT and ECOCE, cleanup campaigns collected 6,418.3kg of waste during the program’s first year, including 2,214.7kg of recyclable materials such as PET, HDPE, aluminum and tinplate that were reintegrated into recycling processes, 3,828.7kg of non-recyclable waste and 374.9kg of organic waste.

The organizations said waste characterization and measurement conducted during cleanup activities are helping generate data to guide public policy aimed at strengthening integrated waste management and advancing Mexico’s circular economy strategy in environmentally sensitive coastal areas.

SEMARNAT is also expanding the National Strategy through its Adopt a Beach program, which encourages companies, local communities, civil society organizations and municipal governments to participate in ongoing beach conservation efforts and broaden the reach of cleanup campaigns.

Under the collaboration agreement, ECOCE provides technical expertise to ensure the proper recovery, traceability and processing of recyclable materials whenever their condition allows. The organization also supports collection efforts for recyclable materials, including PET, HDPE, aluminum and tinplate, preventing them from becoming marine pollutants.

During the presentation of the strategy’s first-year results, Marina Robles, Deputy Minister of Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration, SEMARNAT, emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration.

“Protecting our ecosystems is only possible through the participation of all sectors. Every piece of waste that is properly separated represents an opportunity to prevent it from contaminating beaches, bodies of water or natural areas. Shared responsibility among government, the private sector and society is the foundation for building lasting solutions that strengthen the protection of our natural heritage,” Robles said.

Montserrat Ramírez, Director of Operations, ECOCE, said the results demonstrate the value of coordinated action among government, businesses, civil society and citizens.

“These results show that coordination among government, the private sector, civil society organizations and citizens is essential to achieve cleaner beaches and coastlines. Characterizing the recovered waste provides more precise information on the composition of debris reaching these ecosystems, generating valuable data to strengthen prevention, recovery and circular economy strategies,” Ramírez said.

SEMARNAT noted that pollution affecting beaches, rivers and coastal ecosystems is driven by multiple factors, including consumption patterns, waste management infrastructure, collection systems and public participation. The ministry said improving waste separation, recovery and recycling will require continued collaboration among government agencies, businesses, civil society organizations and local communities.