After a fire in the landfill last Thursday 18, still to be fully controlled, a cloud of toxic smoke is spreading through the capital city of Panama with respiratory effects for the people, the collective said in its action.

The complaint was filed before the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the alleged commission of crimes against the environment, against public health and infringement of the duties of a public servant.

The lawyer María Gabriela Dutary, from CIAM, sustained that the repeated fires in Cerro Patacón, as well as the liquids and gases that emanate from there, constitute a threat to the health of 1.5 million people.

In 2023, he recalled, there were at least 15 fires in the largest garbage dump in this city and this is the first one this year.

Also, activist Isaías Ramos, of CIAM, pointed out that every summer these situations occur in Cerro Patacón and that the responsible officials do not take any corrective action.

The Vice Minister of Environment, Diana Laguna, reported that the air quality in the capital area is out of normal due to the toxic smoke still emanating from the landfill.

In this regard, she recommended to continue using the mask because the smoke affects the bloodstream and harms health, she said.

She added that the air monitoring is being carried out with data from the station located at the Technological University of Panama and the Ministry of Environment.

ef/arm/mem/ga