The Puerto Rico Community Comes Together to Reduce Aquatic Debris
DEC. 19, 2022 — On Dec. 5-9, the NOAA Marine Debris Program, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Trash Free Waters Program, hosted a virtual workshop to identify actions and strategies for the implementation of the Puerto Rico Strategic Plan to Reduce Aquatic Debris.
The strategic plan includes overarching goals (Prevention, Removal and Disposal, Emergency Response, and Coordination) and objectives to ultimately reduce aquatic-based debris territory-wide.
More than 50 individuals representing all levels of government, nonprofit organizations, universities, community organizations, and private entities participated in the week-long workshop. During the sessions, participants refined the draft of the plan, including the goals and objectives, while also identifying specific actions to complete during the first year of the plan and the individuals that will be leading them.
The strategic plan will be finalized and published in Spanish and English in early 2023.