Municipal officials of Arraiján intervened in an illegal solid waste dump in the Cerro Silvestre area, Panama Oeste province. The dump was also used to burn all kinds of materials. Previously, homeowners near the clandestine landfill had denounced health impacts and environmental pollution from the smoke produced by the incineration of hazardous materials. One of those affected stated that her house becomes 'flooded with smoke' whenever waste is illegally dumped and set on fire, sometimes lasting for several days. During an inspection of the site by a judge of Aseo and municipal inspectors, two people were found dumping waste and were fined in accordance with current environmental regulations. According to neighbors, materials are incinerated at this clandestine landfill to extract the metal they contain. A similar situation is occurring in the Playa Chiquita area, La Chorrera district, where residents have been reporting the burning of tires to extract metal. This situation has been reported to various government agencies responsible for health and the environment, but no corrective measures have yet been taken.
