Marea Verde and The Ocean Cleanup have joined forces to launch the “Seven Basins” project, an initiative that seeks to significantly reduce the waste that reaches the Bay of Panama.

The Bay of Panama , recognized as a Ramsar site and protected area, is an ecosystem of great ecological value.

However, pollution from solid waste, especially plastics, poses a threat to biodiversity and environmental health.

Therefore, “Siete cuencas” seeks to address this problem comprehensively through the implementation of advanced technologies, environmental education programs, and coordinated work with local authorities and communities.

The project is based on Marea Verde’s experience on the Juan Díaz River, where since September 2022 it has managed to prevent more than 290,000 kilos of waste from reaching the ocean through the use of floating barriers and collection systems.

Worldwide, The Ocean Cleanup has removed more than 20 million kilograms of waste through its actions in rivers and oceans.

Boyan Slat , founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, for his part, highlighted that his “mission is to eliminate plastic pollution from the world’s oceans.

Slat explained that the key to achieving this is stopping pollution at its source: the rivers.

With this alliance with Marea Verde, we combine our technology and experience with their local knowledge to make a difference in Panama and around the world.

The project involves installing interceptor systems on various rivers over several years. By 2025, the goal is to intervene in two key rivers:

Río Abajo – flows into the marine section opposite Panama Viejo.

Matías Hernández River – flows into Costa del Este, currently under evaluation.

In the coming months, the first waste collection system will be installed in the Abajo River, marking the start of the project’s operational implementation.