Environmental issues

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

As I see news related to the environment I will post it here.

1 member reacted to this post

See also

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Quality of customer service in Puerto Rico - 0 Reply

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

Dumping of ashes in Arecibo and Pe帽uelas. This is a big controversy with towns trying to keep them from dumping while getting no support from EPA.

Some of you has said they want to get involved, here is a cause.

1 member reacted to this post

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

You will be paying for trash collection soon.

mandarjones Member

18POSTS

9 years ago

Thank you Rey. I appreciate these links!

lgustaf Serial expat

401POSTS

9 years ago

Trump is planning on doing away with the EPA, anyway. He has already frozen its web site, twitter accounts, Facebook page, and has cut off all funding for any projects, reports, etc. Permits, findings and studies are frozen. No meetings or presentations are allowed to be scheduled, And the EPA Press Office has been silenced. This info was given to me directly from EPA staff members.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

9 years ago

What about recycling here on the island?聽聽I think we have some recycling centers, just need to learn more about how it is done in PR.聽

Can anyone educate us?聽 Tks.

lgustaf Serial expat

401POSTS

9 years ago

You might be able to find some info here, Sitka:

sloputtputt Contributor

113POSTS

9 years ago

Speaking of environmental issues, have the landfill situation improved? I heard most of the landfills are not up to code.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

They remain not up to code and some have been closed.

Spencerazac Contributor

157POSTS

9 years ago

#10

It seems like every time I go to the beach, it's closed due to Raw sewage contamination,聽 when I went to Fajardo, then again in Aricebo.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#11

Those issues should be investigated to determine where the contamination comes from, follow it up river. Likely somebody throwing farm products and dead animals in the river which is caried all the way to the sea. Until they follow up aggressively, it will never been resolved.

Also using the river like a bathroom is a local problem up river.

The typical issue to close a beach is an abnormal growth of bacteria, which usually means some decomposition of some animal or vegetable matter. It is not usually an issue with pesticides or other industrial chemical. It is the actions of the population which causes the issues and they get worse when we had heavy rains because more material in the surrounded areas of the rivers is carried into the rivers.

sloputtputt Contributor

113POSTS

9 years ago

#12

ReyP wrote:
They remain not up to code and some have been closed.

Because of this I am hesitant to live in PR.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#13

On average 6 beaches are closed for 48 hours, they are not always the same ones. You can still go in the water but it is not safe. To lose use of a particular beach once in a while is not going to ruin my life, but to each its own.
Besides those being closed have a river moth close by which is where the contamination comes from.

There are 270 miles of beaches, if the close a total of 10 miles due to contamination you still have another 260 miles worth.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

9 years ago

#14

Is there anyway to get a list of closed beaches on-line?聽 Or a water quality rating for the beaches?

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#15

I find out via the Spanish newspaper El Nuevo D铆a online but likely there are other sources.

There are flags on the beaches. Coverage is the question, how many popular beaches are checked is unknown to me.

Not all beaches in USA are checked either.

sloputtputt Contributor

113POSTS

9 years ago

#16

ReyP wrote:
On average 6 beaches are closed for 48 hours, they are not always the same ones. You can still go in the water but it is not safe. To lose use of a particular beach once in a while is not going to ruin my life, but to each its own.
Besides those being closed have a river moth close by which is where the contamination comes from.

There are 270 miles of beaches, if the close a total of 10 miles due to contamination you still have another 260 miles worth.

I am convinced...I am not going to PR.

1 member reacted to this post

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#17

sloputtputt wrote:
ReyP wrote:
On average 6 beaches are closed for 48 hours, they are not always the same ones. You can still go in the water but it is not safe. To lose use of a particular beach once in a while is not going to ruin my life, but to each its own.
Besides those being closed have a river moth close by which is where the contamination comes from.

There are 270 miles of beaches, if the close a total of 10 miles due to contamination you still have another 260 miles worth.

I am convinced...I am not going to PR.

That is weird, no place is ever totally perfect, but ok

sloputtputt Contributor

113POSTS

9 years ago

#18

ReyP wrote:
sloputtputt wrote:
ReyP wrote:
On average 6 beaches are closed for 48 hours, they are not always the same ones. You can still go in the water but it is not safe. To lose use of a particular beach once in a while is not going to ruin my life, but to each its own.
Besides those being closed have a river moth close by which is where the contamination comes from.

There are 270 miles of beaches, if the close a total of 10 miles due to contamination you still have another 260 miles worth.

I am convinced...I am not going to PR.

That is weird, no place is ever totally perfect, but ok

Yeah, but with paradise you want perfection as much as possible. I just don't like the idea of being concern about sewage and garbage problems. Especially, when it close beaches.

1 member reacted to this post

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

9 years ago

#19

When I lived in Southern California multiple beaches were closed now and then because of sewage problems.

When I lived on the east coast beaches were closed now and then from sewage problems.

In Texas beaches are closed now and then from sewage problems.

From my experience it happens a lot of places.

Mrkpytn Serial expat

373POSTS

9 years ago

#20

Florida has red tide along with lake Okeechobee pesticide overflow. Ocean City, maryland had a case of flesh eating bacteria. I have not heard of any shark attacks in PR

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#21

Mrkpytn wrote:
Florida has red tide along with lake Okeechobee pesticide overflow. Ocean City, maryland had a case of flesh eating bacteria. I have not heard of any shark attacks in PR

I believe I read last fatal attack was around 40 years ago, seems they are fairly rare the last attack I know of was a bit over 18 years ago, however they are getting common in Florida an California.

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

9 years ago

#22

At least on my part of the island I heard more of barracuda attacks than sharks. Most are not reported and mainly to fishermens. Most fatalities at the beach are drownings, specially during this time of the year due to current changes.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

9 years ago

#23

Last year a leatherback turtle washed up on the beach with a large shark bite (e.g. kitchen plate size)聽 out of it.聽聽Gave pause to the surfers here, a big shark had been spotted by a few of the locals along the reef / beaches here.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#24

Hard to bite thru a turtle. But as long as they eat sea creatures and not humans I am fine with it.

olddawgsrule Serial expat

252POSTS

9 years ago

#25

There are several issues of my coast as well. Mainly do to improperly handled waste.
Hell, Boston (down the road from me) is nothing but a huge land-fill. And folks wonder why the Harbor has issues...
For years the larger cities in the US used to load cargo barges, run out to sea, and dump.
Thankfully that has stopped. Well, as we know anyway..

Does PR treat their waste before disposing of?
Please... Tell me yes...

Whether or not I land base or water base, one thing is for certain, What 'I' create, 'I' will deal with correctly. As I do here in NH.

olddawgsrule Serial expat

252POSTS

9 years ago

#26

ReyP wrote:
Hard to bite thru a turtle. But as long as they eat sea creatures and not humans I am fine with it.

They taste better.. LOL! (not that I know that for certain)

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#27

Some turtles are protected, some are not. Turtle steaks and turtle soup are a delicacy in the island.
I had some when I was young.

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

9 years ago

#28

olddawgsrule wrote:
There are several issues of my coast as well. Mainly do to improperly handled waste.
Hell, Boston (down the road from me) is nothing but a huge land-fill. And folks wonder why the Harbor has issues...
For years the larger cities in the US used to load cargo barges, run out to sea, and dump.
Thankfully that has stopped. Well, as we know anyway..

Does PR treat their waste before disposing of?
Please... Tell me yes...

Whether or not I land base or water base, one thing is for certain, What 'I' create, 'I' will deal with correctly. As I do here in NH.

The sewer is process just like in the states. The problem is mainly due to farming animals close to the rivers and ilegal dumping sites.
Cities have sewer systems and outside of the cities they have septic tank. There is your usual problems when it rains and the sewer system is back up but for the most it is treated and regulated closely.

1 member reacted to this post

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#29

People put in their own sanitary system and it is not always designed correctly so leakage and blockage can occur. The closer to a river the more can be carried downstream.
In some places the lagoon is also the toilet. A lot of oceanfront property also dump raw seawage into the sea.
People just don't care, they want to do what works for them and the cheapest the better. There are areas where houses are build in the water and their boat is tied to the house, want to guess where their waste goes? I believe La Pargera has several of those.

On a positive note....... only one single beach in the island has the yellow flag this week!!!! In Aguadilla.

Justpeachyy Contributor

190POSTS

9 years ago

#30

Thought this was worth posting in the environment section talks about the water quality in the metro area due to the drought. The water had higher levels of Trihalomethanes聽 which are formed as a by-product predominantly when chlorine is used to disinfect water for drinking. Max levels are up to .08 but reported levels were from .089-.150 mg/L.聽 They're saying it's not dangerous, but it is worth noting. Also explains why the water smelled and tasted a lot more like chlorine from December till now.聽

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#31

People goes swimming in rivers and lakes(yuck fish poop there) and the sea. While bathing and playing they tend to swallow some of the water. They are fine, once in a while somebody needs treatment but they are only a few. Filtration is key if you want reasonable elimination of some substances and bacteria. The pipes, the chemicals and the general filtration done by towns can only go so far, so add your own.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

9 years ago

#32

I have always been a little leery of the water quality in PR.聽 They say it meets US public health standards, but I have some reservations.聽聽When we experienced some problems with plumbing due to sediment in the water we installed a whole house water filtration system.聽聽I think the water tastes better now and we should have fewer problems that are caused by "stuff" in the water system.

The plumber said it will extend the live of water heaters, ice makers, etc.

At least now we don't need to buy bottled water for drinking and ice.聽聽