Community cleaning initiatives target river pollution in Otavalo and Toledo

Environmental restoration efforts have taken place in Otavalo and Toledo to combat river pollution through community-led cleaning activities.

In Otavalo, the “Guardianes del Agua: Juntos por El Tejar” initiative, organized by the Municipality of Otavalo, resulted in the removal of 980 kilograms of waste from a 1.2-kilometer stretch of the El Tejar River. The effort involved municipal staff, firefighters, volunteers, and local students. Collected debris included plastics, tires, clothing, mattresses, and vegetation.

In Toledo, approximately one hundred students from IES ‘Princesa Galiana’ and the Toledo School of Art participated in a restoration day along the banks of the Tagus River. Supported by the ‘la Caixa’ Foundation, the group collected 142 kilograms of trash and engaged in tree planting. Local authorities emphasized that such activities aim to combine environmental recovery with youth awareness regarding the impact of waste on natural ecosystems.