The Ozama River transfers 90% of waste to the Caribbean Sea, research determines
SANTO DOMINGO. The Ozama River transfers between 40% and 90% of the floating plastic waste that circulates on its surface waters directly to the Caribbean Sea, according to the preliminary results of an investigation by the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and The Ocean Cleanup, which was carried out using trackers and artificial intelligence tools.
Preliminary data from the study, presented during the university's fourth Science Week, determined that floating plastic debris is transferred through the creek-river-sea sequence.
The study was carried out by researcher Rafael García, who is pursuing a doctorate in Environmental Sciences from INTEC.
Meanwhile, Winston González, also a PhD student in Environmental Sciences at INTEC, is working on research on the detection and estimation of the flow of macroplastics in the Ozama River, using high-resolution cameras fixed on bridges whose images were evaluated by a artificial intelligence that counted floating trash, developed by The Ocean Cleanup. Among the preliminary results, González indicated that the flow of garbage is up to 1.5 times higher downstream.
The doctoral students were advised by doctors Carlos Sanlley, from INTEC, and Thomas Mani, from The Ocean Cleanup, and both research was funded by The Ocean Cleanup. The preliminary results of both studies were presented during the fourth INTEC Science Week, which takes place from Tuesday, November 7 to Friday, November 10.
Also, during Science Week, Maria Eugenia Morales, specialist from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), presented the “Rescate Ozama” program, financed by The Ocean Cleanup, which brings together representatives of the central and local government. , business, academia, non-governmental organizations and international organizations, which joined forces to implement solutions regarding the contamination of the Ozama River and the surrounding communities.
Maria Eugenia Morales explained that the project addresses issues of awareness and education; prevention and reduction; recycling and use; business opportunities and circular economy from waste and safe final disposal. Actors in the program include Ministry of the Presidency, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Navy of the Dominican Republic, The Ocean Cleanup, Embassy of the Netherlands. Rescate Ozama also has the participation of students from the doctoral, master's and bachelor's levels of INTEC, who developed research projects that served to collect information on the contamination detected from Interceptor 004, a piece of equipment for collecting solid waste and plastics. , first of its kind in the region.