21/05/2026
Yesterday, we took on the cleanup of the two large illegal dumpsites we found hidden deep in the mangroves off Solarte. The scale of trash we removed was unbelievable - but so was the phenomenal support of the community. ๐ช
With the help of 24 volunteers and 5 boats, we removed an estimated 450-500 bags of waste from the mangroves, equal to roughly 8-10 tons of trash.
We opened some of them and found a large amount of construction waste, empty paint buckets, cardboard, as well as countless Styrofoam takeout containers and soda bottles. This was no ordinary household waste. We cannot say for sure, but at this point we believe that it could come from a larger construction site on the island (maybe a hotel or commercial project) that feed their workers a daily lunch and then disposes of the trash.
The findings raise serious questions and point towards repeated, organized dumpings.
We are determined to continue investigating to find out who is responsible for polluting our precious mangroves. Mangroves are among the most important ecosystems on our planet. They protect coastlines, store carbon, improve water quality, and provide shelter for marine life.
A huge thank you to Francesco and Alex from Bicas Pirates Dive Center, who played a key role in organizing this cleanup and whose energy, commitment, and coordination made this entire operation possible.
Special thanks also to
oceantribe
And of course, to everyone who supported us with boats, hard work, donations, and their time - this would not have been without you. ๐๐๐
