Environmental management and alluvial flood risks in Antofag

Environmental and economic management in Antofagasta, Chile, has focused on regional sustainability and climate resilience. Regional authorities have outlined priorities including air quality improvements in Calama through an Atmospheric Decontamination Plan (PDA), waste management via a circular economy approach, and the implementation of a Regional Climate Change Action Plan. In August 2026, Regional Ministerial Secretary of the Environment Verónica Araneda Gómez detailed progress on these initiatives, including the redesign of the Air Quality Monitoring Network in Calama and the declaration of the Río Loa Urban Wetland. Economic data shows significant environmental investment, with 12 approved projects totaling approximately US$6.739 billion and 33 projects currently under evaluation representing a potential investment of US$28.862 billion. Additionally, the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) Law has commenced with selective domestic packaging collection. Efforts to address the climate emergency have extended to the artisanal fishing sector in Caleta Coloso. Local organizations, such as the Coloso Union and the AGREUMAR Guild Association, met with government officials and private sector representatives from Escondida | BHP to discuss recovery mechanisms and sustainability for coastal communities. However, recent heavy rainfall and alluvium have triggered an ecological and sanitary crisis. The activation of dry riverbeds has washed massive amounts of illegally dumped waste—including industrial debris, chemicals, and plastics—into the sea. Biologist Carlos Guerra-Correa noted significant sanitary risks following the discovery of animal carcasses from clandestine cemeteries being washed into the ocean. In response to these hazards, authorities and researchers are addressing the high risk of alluvial flows caused by the region’s 96 ravines. A Sernageomin study identified sectors like Coloso as highly susceptible to mass movement events as early as 2023, yet ten major ravines currently lack state-built containment pools or permanent retention works.