Plastic Waste Surge on the Pacific Coast

Due to the El Niño phenomenon, ocean currents have become abnormal. Compounded by severe storms, massive amounts of marine debris—including plastic and discarded fishing nets—have been washed ashore along Guatemala’s Pacific coast, covering several kilometers of beach with waste. Marine life is highly susceptible to accidentally ingesting this debris, posing a serious threat to their survival. Local fishing operations have been forced to shut down, and the high cost of cleanup is placing significant pressure on the coastal communities.