Pajapan, Veracruz — To date, Mexico has collected 91 tons of contaminated oil-soaked waste from its beaches. The oil was found in the sea and on the beaches of Veracruz and Tabasco March 1.
On Tuesday, the government of Mexico said they have completed the containment of hydrocarbons in the sea and are making progress in cleaning beaches in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources says to date, 91 tons of hydrocarbon-soaked waste has been collected on beaches in Veracruz and Tabasco, with an overall cleanup progress of 85%.
Land, sea and air surveys continue to assess coastal conditions and protect coastal ecosystems. The Mexican government is maintaining inter-institutional coordination to contain the contingency and determine the origin of the contaminant.
The Mexican government reports that containment efforts have concluded and cleanup is underway in the area of the sea where the hydrocarbon plume was initially detected off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Currently, no residue is present in that marine area.
These actions were coordinated by the Mexican Navy (Semar) and Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to prevent further spread of the contaminant toward the shoreline.
On March 14, the Mexican Navy (Semar) activated the Local Contingency Plan, through which cleaning and monitoring efforts are supervised on beaches in Veracruz and Tabasco.
The plan also involves the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), the National Coordination of Civil Protection (CNPC), the Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA), the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), in coordination with state and municipal authorities, as well as local communities.
On March 15, personnel from Semarnat, Profepa, ASEA and Pemex conducted reconnaissance flights along the coasts of Tabasco and Veracruz to assess coastal conditions and monitor ongoing cleanup efforts.
In the preceding days, federal authorities conducted ground inspections in Barra de Tupilco and Arroyo Verde, in the municipality of Paraíso as well as on beaches in Ejido Sinaloa, Ejido El Alacrán and Manatinero, in the municipality of Cárdenas, where waste collection and management operations continue.
In these areas, various volumes of waste impregnated with hydrocarbons have been collected, notably approximately 80 cubic meters in Ejido Sinaloa. Another 30 cubic meters was collected in Arroyo Verde, 10 cubic meters in Manatinero and around one ton in Ejido El Alacrán.
This is in addition to the work completed in Barra de Tupilco where the waste was confined for its final disposal.
In Veracruz, cleaning began on March 5 at Playa Barrillas and continued on March 9 at Playa Linda and Playa Jicacal. On March 13, clean up began at Laguna del Ostión where containment actions have also been implemented through the use of oleophilic cords to address the presence of iridescence in bodies of water.
In these areas, 210 workers have been deployed across various work fronts, collecting 91 tons of hydrocarbon-soaked waste through cleanup operations at Barrillas Beach (40 tons), Linda Beach (20 tons), and Jicacal Beach (30 tons) in the municipality of Coatzacoalcos, as well as at Laguna del Ostión (1 ton) in the municipality of Pajapan.
The waste has been deposited in temporary storage cells set up for proper handling. The cleanup efforts are approximately 85% complete overall, with varying progress in each area.
Pemex also reported that from the moment the presence of hydrocarbons was detected in the Gulf of Mexico, prevention and containment operations were carried out offshore using specialized vessels, preventing further spread of the contaminant to the coast.
Cleanup efforts on the beaches are progressing well and are expected to be completed in the coming days with the goal of reopening the affected areas to the public.
Pemex facilities in the region are operating normally and no damage has been detected to the company’s platforms, terminals, or vessels.
Similarly, personnel from Semarnat and Conanp conducted verification tours in the Veracruz Reef System National Park, finding no trace of hydrocarbons in the sea or on the beaches. Continuous monitoring is being maintained in this Protected Natural Area (ANP) to assess the ecosystem’s condition.
In parallel, ASEA has made requests for information to various companies in the hydrocarbon sector, with the aim of determining if any operational event could have caused the arrival of hydrocarbons detected in the area.
Profepa has maintained a constant presence on the beaches of Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche, conducting land patrols to verify the presence of hydrocarbons and the progress of cleanup efforts.
Maritime patrols are also being maintained primarily in Tabasco, in coordination with Navy personnel, Pemex, local authorities, and communities. These patrols have been carried out on six beaches in Tabasco, six in Veracruz and three in Campeche.
Federal authorities are also conducting verification patrols, satellite monitoring, analysis of ocean currents, and on-site follow-up to identify the possible source of the contaminant.
Once the origin of the hydrocarbon is detected, action will be taken in accordance with current environmental legislation to determine responsibility and ensure the remediation of the environmental damage.
The Government of Mexico reiterates its commitment to maintain permanent monitoring and to continue with all necessary actions to protect marine ecosystems, coastal areas and fishing communities in the Gulf of Mexico.
