Venezuela has prohibited glass containers in its 43 national parks and 17 natural monuments, which cover a combined total of 13 million hectares, or 15 percent of the country. “We hope to reduce the volume of solid waste in order to prevent pollution of water sources and harm to flora and fauna, as well has harm to park visitors and workers from glass, a material that degrades slowly and is difficult to remove when it reaches lake and river bottoms,” one of the National Park Institute's directors, Alfredo Maggiorani, told Tierramérica.

On Apr. 5, 170 volunteers collected 100 bags (of up to 60 kg) of glass containers in the most visited areas of the Henri Pittier Park — 108,000 hectares of mountainous forests, west of Caracas — and 240 bags of other waste, reported the Institute.