Panama

Measures

Achievements

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation

Charge for single-use plastic products (e.g. shopping bags, straws)

Names of actions:
Law No. 1 of January 19, 2018 that adopts measures to promote the use of reusable bags in commercial establishments

Targeted products:
Shopping bags Brief description: The use of polyethylene bags is prohibited in supermarkets and other commercial establishments.

Names of actions:
Law No. 187 of December 2, 2020, which regulates the progressive reduction and replacement of single-use plastics.

Targeret Products:
11 products: Ear swabs, clothing covers, plastic egg cartons, disposable stirrers, balloon rods, toothpicks, reeds, cocktail sticks, candy sticks, can rings, disposable plastic plates.

Brief description:
this action recently implemented establishes the regulatory framework that governs single-use plastics in the national territory, as part of the public environmental policy of the Panamanian State.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
People have adopted a new lifestyle of using reusable bags when shopping in establishments such as supermarkets.

Reduction of plastic bags

Numerical data if any:
Any data

Actions for encouraging sustainable / circular product design

Names of actions:
Bottles of Love

Brief description:
Bottles of Love Foundation installs the main plastic processing plant in the region. The work of Bottles of Love is to educate the general population and companies to contribute to the collection of plastic material. The raw material resulting from the transformed plastic is used in the manufacture of RPL (Recycled Plastic Lumber) that is used for the construction of social works aimed at improving the quality of life in vulnerable communities.

Names of actions:
Ecobricks

Brief description:
An initiative of Fundación Costa Recicla, consists of putting together an eco-brick that is a plastic bottle that contains non- recyclable materials inside. Society is challenged to give your waste another great function.

Names of actions:
Responsible brands.

Brief description:
Nestle’s Maggi has contributed to the reduction of waste reaching landfills with packaging of recyclable and reusable products.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
They are new initiatives, it has been well received by society.

Numerical data if any:
Any data.

Measures

Achievements

Environmentally sound waste management

Enforcement of proper waste management system

Names of actions:
Recycle for your future.

Brief description:
Before part of the Zero Waste Program, it is a public- private agreement formed by MiAMBIENTE, the Mayor’s Office of Panama, “Autoridad de Aseo Urbano y Domiciliario”, the National Brewery and the Coca-Cola System and ANCON.

Name of actions:
Mupa Recicla, Brief description: inter-institutional alliance, which seeks to strengthen the recycle for your future program and with the objetive of strengthening the integral management of solid waste management in public and private entities.

Name of actions:
Drive Thrust and Clean point of Costa Recicla.

Brief description:
The Materials Drive Thru is a monthly activity that provides a community service and the need to provide an alternative to the correct disposal of waste, we collect the following materials: Carton box, tetra-Pak, Aluminum Cans, Cans of Conversa and Glass Bottles.

Name of action:
Regional Project Reduce marine plastics and plastic pollution in the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean through a circular economy approach.

Brief description:
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) is developing a project aimed at reducing regional marine plastics and plastic pollution by facilitating city-level governments and companies in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, and accelerating its transition to a circular economy for plastics.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data if any:
Recycle for your future has achieved the installation of 31 recycling stations (14 in Bethania, 7 in Chilibre and 10 in East Panama), the collection of more than 350 tons of recyclable material, the awareness of more than 100,000 people and the generation of new full and part-time jobs.

Prevention of littering, illegal dumping and unintentional leakage of waste into the ocean

Names of actions:
Installation of a water wheel to catch floating garbage from the Juan Díaz river by Marea Verde (Project in the beginning phase)

Brief description:
The proposed system will be to reduce the effects on the Bay of Panama and the coastal marine ecosystems in the Ramsar site Humedal Bahía de Panamá by the marine debris generated on land and dumped by the population of the upper, middle and lower basins of the Juan Díaz River and others. Also facilitate research and the study of marine litter; serve as an exhibition, awareness and environmental education center for the general population of other basins and cities; and as a model of citizen initiatives for the search behavior changes that contribute to mitigating the serious problem of garbage management in our country.

Comments:
Is in the beginning

phase:
environmental impact study

Numerical data if any:
Any data

Measures

Achievements

Choose the most appropriate options to describe the achievements attained through the measures selected, using quantitative information if any.

Cleanup of marine plastic litter

Collection of scattered waste on beach

Names of actions:

Beach cleaning Brief description:

This Activity calls for awareness and sensitization for the Panamanian population, about the importance of cleaning the oceans and other bodies of water, for the benefit of biodiversity and health.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
This activity is gaining importance as a direct and immediate action, in favor of restoring the health of our seas and oceans.

Numerical data if any:
In 2020, with the challenge of the pandemic, the Ministry of the Environment collects approximately more than 30 tons of waste on beaches.

Data from the national cleaning of beaches, coasts and rivers:

2018: 5382 participants, 52 tons of garbage collected and 50 activities.

2017: 4895 participants, 90 tons of garbage collected, 3 tons of plastic to recycle and 43 activities.

2016: 3083 participants, 91 tons of garbage collected, 39 activities.

Removal of plastic litter from the ocean

Names of actions:
Underwater cleaning Ghost net cleaning

Brief description:
As of 2016, the initial actions that the “Autoridad de Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá” (ARAP) has developed in a project for the recovery of marine litter, especially ghost nets, stand out.

This activity and others of the same nature have been carried out with the support of the “Minsitry of Enviroment”, the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) and the important collaboration of NGOs, diving institutions, the Maritime University of Panama (UMIP) and others.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
This activity is not focused on just plastic material.

It is part of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.

Numerical data if any:
Any data

The Ecological Flag initiative, which has led to collaboration with educational centers led by “Ministerio de Ambiente”, and “Ministerio de Educación” and the Environmental Volunteers Program.

Additional Green classrooms that provide environmental education, both to teachers and students, with the support of Audubon and Marea Verde.

Comments:
Currently there is a waiting list to enter the ecological flag program in the Educational Centers category and the new Communities category has begun.

Numerical data if any:
Currently the Ecological Flag program has one hundred and five

(105) schools, in various regions of our country.

National level:

Names of actions:
Campaigns “Sin carrizo, por favor” y “Chifea tu bolsa”

Brief description:
These are initiatives of the Tortuguía Foundation, its main objective is to educate the population about the damages caused by the high consumption of single-use plastics with a direct focus on reeds and plastic bags.

Local level:

Names of actions:
Brief description:

International / Regional level:

Names of actions:
Campaings #ChaoPlasticoDesechable Brief description:

Fundaci n Marviva seeks to change consumption habits, reduce the use and consumption of single-use plastic bottles, inform and raise awareness about the impact of disposable plastic in marine and coastal environments, as well as disprove myths and misperceptions about waste treatment and recycling.

National level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
In 2018, 203 restaurants were added nationwide for the campaign without reed, please. In its second version in 2019, 50 restaurants participated.

Numerical data if any:
In 2018, 710,500 reeds were prevented from being consumed in one month.

Names of actions:
“Yo celebro reciclando”.

Brief description:
In celebration of the National Recycling Day, coordinated by Recicla por tu futuro, state entities and other key actors.

Names of actions:
“Reutilizando plástico con Ruben Blades”.

Brief description:
As part of the public awareness strategies on the problem of excessive consumption of disposable plastics, the MarViva Foundation launches the campaign taking advantage of the clear message of one of the classics of the artist Rubén Blades.

International / Regional level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
Greater awareness and knowledge in the population.

Numerical data if any:
Any data

Others

Measures

Achievements

Monitoring & Scientific research on marine plastic litter

Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Names of actions:
Project FID16-044 called: “Analytical determination of microplastic in water and sediments.

Brief description:
Project led by the Center for Hydraulic and Hydrotechnical Research (CIHH), of the Technological University of Panama (UTP). finances the National Secretariat of Science and Technology and Innovation (SENACYT), its objective is to determine the presence of microplastics as a point source of contamination in water and sediments and to establish measurable indicators for their quantity and origin, which allow managing actions of a normative type and achieve a decrease in its entry into the sea through surface waters.