The government of Veracruz announced that 14 tonnes or 25 cubic meters of garbage had been removed from the Río Blanco by Tuesday, but there was still a lot left.

But the garbage removed only accounts for a fraction of the estimated 60 tonnes of organic and inorganic waste that have covered a six-kilometer stretch of the river since last week.

According to Veracruz Governor Cuitláhuac García, the trash likely came from illegal landfills located near the river. The garbage would have been carried away after water levels rose during heavy rains. He said a Veracruz environmental prosecutor is investigating the case.

The initial response focused on containing the trash in the coastal municipality of Alvarado to prevent it from reaching the sea.

Veracruz Environment Secretary María del Rocío Pérez said that 16 boats worked to remove the trash, of which six belong to the Veracruz port authority. After the trash was removed, it was loaded onto trucks and deposited at the El Guayabo landfill in the municipality of Medellín.

She added that authorities continue working to clean up the river and prevent the trash from reaching the Alvarado and María Lizamba lagoon systems.

The garbage was removed by state and federal officials, private businesses and local fishermen and boat owners.

Source: El Financiero (sp)