Recycling in Panama

A real problem… but also a change that is slowly beginning

When you arrive in Panama after living in Europe, there’s one thing that surprises you pretty quickly: the garbage.

Plastic is very present. Recycling remains limited. And, at times, this can give the impression that nothing is really organized.
For many travelers and expatriates, it’s a real culture shock. And let’s be honest: yes, Panama is still lagging behind in this area.
But living here also reveals a more nuanced reality. Because behind this sometimes discouraging initial observation… something is slowly beginning to change.
The country is not standing still.

♻️ Why recycling is still complicated in Panama

Panama is a young country in terms of development.
In recent decades, the main priorities have been :

• the economy,
• infrastructure,
• tourism,
• and the country’s rapid growth.

Environmental issues came later.
Unlike some European countries where sorting has long been part of daily life, here the infrastructure is still limited:

• few collection points,
• lack of awareness,
• high plastic consumption,
• and systems that, depending on the region, are still underdeveloped.

In some rural areas, there are simply no practical solutions for recycling.

Result: some waste ends up in landfill… or sometimes burnt.
And when you love nature, it can be hard to see that in such a beautiful country.

🌴 A surprising contrast

This is probably the most striking thing about Panama.
On the one hand :

• a lush jungle,
• beautiful beaches,
• mango trees,
• flowers all year round,
• monkeys, sloths, iguanas…

And on the other:

• plastic,
• visible waste,
• and still imperfect management.

The contrast is sometimes striking.
You can be driving through an absolutely sublime landscape… then suddenly see garbage on the side of a road or a river.
And that inevitably raises questions.

🌱 Yet… things are slowly beginning to change

But to reduce Panama to just that would also be unfair. Because when you live here longer, you also discover something else: people who are trying to change things.

Little by little, initiatives are appearing.
We now see :

• collection points,
• awareness campaigns,
• schools that are starting to talk about ecology,
• companies that recover certain materials,
• and local communities trying to implement solutions.

It’s not yet comparable to Europe. But it’s not non-existent either. And this nuance is important.

🏭 Recimetal: a company that makes things happen

Recimetal Panamá is one of the companies involved in this development.

For more than twenty years, this Panamanian company has been working in :

• collection,
• recovery,
• treatment,
• and recovery of recyclable materials.

Their goal is simple:

transforming certain types of waste into reusable resources.

In particular, the company recovers :

• metals,
• aluminum,
• cardboard,
• plastic,
• batteries,
• and electronic equipment.

But what’s interesting is that their job isn’t just to “collect garbage”.

They also participate in :

• educational campaigns,
• environmental programs,
• local collaborations,
• and awareness campaigns.

Little by little, an ecological conscience seems to be emerging.

🌍 A slowly evolving mentality

We also need to put things in context.
Panama remains a country with :

• significant inequalities,
• economic challenges,
• and priorities sometimes very different from those of Europe.

For a long time, ecology was simply not a priority.
But today, this seems to be slowly changing.
Younger generations in particular seem increasingly sensitive:

• pollution,
• to protecting the oceans,
• and nature conservation.

Slowly, of course.
But really.

♻️ In our small way too…

For our part, at Casa Fofo GuesHouse, we’ve also kept to certain habits we already had in Europe.

We regularly sort and bring in :

• glass,
• aluminum,
• paper/cardboard
• and certain plastics at collection points where possible.

It’s not always as simple or as organized as in Europe, but we’re trying, in our small way, to be part of this evolution.

And in the end, maybe that’s how things change too:
little by little, with habits being passed on and people simply deciding to do a little better where possible.

To see what we recommend to our guests staying at Casa Fofo GuestHouse, you can visit our“Our Eco-Responsible Approach” page.

💛 Learn to see what’s ahead

When you move to another country, it’s very easy to constantly compare things with what you already know.
But with time, you also learn to observe developments rather than just shortcomings.

And in Panama, despite the obvious difficulties, you get the feeling that part of the country is sincerely trying to move forward.
Recycling remains one of Panama’s major challenges for the years to come.

But contrary to certain preconceived ideas, it would be wrong to say that nothing exists or that nobody is concerned about it.

🌊 Conclusion

Living in Panama means accepting a balance.
What’s in it for you?

• a softer quality of life,
• incredible nature,
• an exceptional climate,
• and a real sense of freedom.

But it also means :

• adaptation,
• patience,
• and sometimes a more nuanced look at certain local realities.

Recycling is one of those realities.
It’s not perfect yet.

But for the first time in a long time… we feel that change is really starting to emerge. 🌿