The non-governmental organization Society for Research and Preservation of the Amazon, with funding from the Bank of Amazonia, has launched a campaign aiming to reduce dumping in the Amazon’s waterways, from Belem to Coari. The efforts of SRPA are primarily focused on protecting the rivers from dumping during the Boi Bumba festival in Parintins in July. The organization plans to reduce pollution by providing more receptacles for trash and by disseminating educational information. The SRPA sees promise in this campaign as similar methods used in 1996 led to a 60% reduction in river pollution. However, the group estimates that about 500 million objects are still dumped in the waterways each year.
