---
title: "First Rains Reveal Panama River Choked With Trash Again"
date: 2026-04-12
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/matias-hernandez-river-trash-first-rains/
categories:
  - "Environment"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Juan Carlos Navarro"
  - "Marea Verde"
  - "Matías Hernández River"
  - "Panama City"
  - "river pollution"
  - "solid waste"
---

# First Rains Reveal Panama River Choked With Trash Again

## What Happened

Panama’s Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro described the Matías Hernández River as a “dump” after the first rains of 2026 washed a large amount of solid waste into its channel. Images shared widely on social media showed trash floating and piling up in the river after morning rainfall.

Navarro said the condition of the river reflects both careless behavior by residents and weaknesses in waste management. He stressed that rivers do not become polluted on their own and that the garbage in the water comes from streets and homes.

The minister also urged people not to throw waste in public spaces, to dispose of trash properly, and to help protect natural areas. He framed the issue as a shared responsibility that requires action from both government and citizens.

## A Recurring Environmental Problem

The Matías Hernández River has long been one of the urban waterways in Panama City affected by plastic and solid waste. During periods of heavy rain, debris in the streets is often carried into drains and streams, ending up in rivers that flow toward mangroves and the sea.

In 2019, the environmental group Marea Verde installed the BoB system, a floating barrier designed to intercept solid waste before it reached coastal ecosystems. The structure became one of the most visible responses to plastic pollution in urban rivers in the country.

That same year, the system helped collect more than 70 tons of waste, including plastics, tires, refrigerators, and industrial pipes. The example showed both the scale of the problem and the value of intercepting trash before it moves downstream.

## Why It Matters

Marea Verde plans to reinstall the BoB system in the Matías Hernández River as part of its Siete Cuencas project, which targets the main urban rivers that flow into Panama Bay. The initiative is built around reducing plastic pollution at its source rather than only cleaning it up after it reaches the water.

The group’s work in the Juan Díaz River offers a clear precedent. Since 2022, more than 477,000 kilos of floating waste have been intercepted there with the help of the Wanda Díaz hydraulic wheel and the BoB barrier, preventing trash from reaching the sea.

The latest scene at the Matías Hernández River underscores a broader challenge facing Panama: protecting rivers, coastal ecosystems, and communities from everyday waste. It also highlights the need for stronger environmental education, better collection systems, and consistent public responsibility.

Navarro closed his comments by calling for collective action to protect the country’s natural resources for future generations.