There is also no organized way to collect and sort out recycling.
Unfortunately, organized trash and recycling pick up in big cities like Panama City can be very expensive and difficult to organize. Almost 500,00 people live in the city. Also, packaged, processed foods that have plastic wrapping are usually cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables that use less packaging. When people are on a tight budget, sometimes these foods just make more sense in their life. Also, sometimes people get charged for the garbage trucks to come by their house. Especially in poorer and rural areas, residents would rather burn or bury their trash to avoid extra costs.
Fortunately, many people in Panama are starting to organize for better waste disposal and recycling practices. In the city, some organizations have set up recycling centers. However, this still requires people to drive their recycling (sometimes from faraway) to the recycling centers during certain hours of the day. It’s a start, but there is so much more to be done! In rural Panama, the health research organization I work for is trying to start a recycling program with the community. You might wonder: why is a research institution involved? Well, there is an important first step to starting new programs in communities. First, you must research exactly what the community already knows about recycling and what their thoughts are about the problem. It’s important to involve communities in every step of the process when you want to create a new program or product for them.
