Environmental Groups Aims to Clean up Guatemalan River
2022-06-14
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1In Guatemala, environmental workers have set up a steel screen across a dirty river to try to trap plastics and other pollution.
2The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit group based in the Netherlands, is leading the effort on the Las Vacas River near Guatemala City.
3The environmental group employs equipment made specially to capture and remove pollution from the water.
4The aim is to stop the flow of plastics and other trash before it can enter the ocean.
5The rainy season in Guatemala begins in May and lasts for several months.
6Levels of pollution in the river increase during the rains and the trash flows farther and faster.
7But The Ocean Cleanup's Interceptor Trashfence is already doing its job to block much of the pollution.
8The screen is grounded on both sides of the river.
9The device has caught so much trash that that one part of it looks bent.
10"What we are trying to do is help clean up," said Boyan Slat, founder, and director of The Ocean Cleanup.
11"We have never seen plastics pollution like this," he added.
12Slat estimates the Las Vacas River carries about 20,000 tons of trash every year.
13The next step in the process is to clear the trash from the fencing.
14The environmentalists are testing to try to find the best way to set up and use the barrier.
15"We continue to evaluate variables such as fence height, mesh size, and foundation security during this pilot period in Guatemala," the group said in a statement.
16Hondurans have protested about the trash problem because a lot of it washes up on the country's coast.
17I'm Caty Weaver.
1In Guatemala, environmental workers have set up a steel screen across a dirty river to try to trap plastics and other pollution. 2The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit group based in the Netherlands, is leading the effort on the Las Vacas River near Guatemala City. The environmental group employs equipment made specially to capture and remove pollution from the water. The aim is to stop the flow of plastics and other trash before it can enter the ocean. 3The rainy season in Guatemala begins in May and lasts for several months. Levels of pollution in the river increase during the rains and the trash flows farther and faster. 4But The Ocean Cleanup's Interceptor Trashfence is already doing its job to block much of the pollution. 5The screen is grounded on both sides of the river. The device has caught so much trash that that one part of it looks bent. 6"What we are trying to do is help clean up," said Boyan Slat, founder, and director of The Ocean Cleanup. "We have never seen plastics pollution like this," he added. Slat estimates the Las Vacas River carries about 20,000 tons of trash every year. 7The next step in the process is to clear the trash from the fencing. The environmentalists are testing to try to find the best way to set up and use the barrier. 8"We continue to evaluate variables such as fence height, mesh size, and foundation security during this pilot period in Guatemala," the group said in a statement. 9Hondurans have protested about the trash problem because a lot of it washes up on the country's coast. 10I'm Caty Weaver. 11The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. 12We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 13_______________________________________________________________ 14Words in This Story 15screen -n. a flat surface made of small wire woven together that lets air or water pass through 16evaluate - v. to judge the value or condition of 17variable - n. something that changes or can be changed 18mesh - n. a material of open texture with evenly spaced holes