Plastic collectors, Costa Maya
In the past 20 years, coastal pollution in southern Mexico has increased dramatically. Plastic waste washes up on the beaches every day, severely affecting flora and fauna. At the same time, overfishing of the oceans is contributing to an ever-decreasing income for local fishermen in the region.
Project background
More than 40% of the Mexican population still live in poverty. Around 33 million workers are employed informally without any social security. Wealth is also distributed extremely unevenly among the country’s parts and population groups. While the north and center of the country are home to a relatively large number of companies that produce at world market level, and the metropolitan area of Mexico City in particular generates a large share of the gross domestic product, the south is considerably weaker economically. This is also where most of the indigenous population lives, and they are still economically, socially and structurally marginalized.
In the past 20 years, coastal pollution in southern Mexico has also increased dramatically. There is no functioning waste management system or recycling culture.
The fragile ecosystem of the Costa Maya, consisting of mangroves, sandy beaches and the Mesoamerican barrier reef is heavily affected by human waste. Plastic waste washes up on the beaches daily, severely impacting flora and fauna. Many fish and other marine life regularly become entangled in the plastic debris and die.
At the same time, overfishing of the oceans is contributing to a diminishing income for fishermen in the region. Finding solutions to these problems is the core of the project.
Target group
Fishers and coastal residents on the Costa Maya
