Waves of Waste: Guatemala's Coastline Submerged in Plastic Debris from Worldwide Consumption

As of November 4th, 2025, a shocking video has emerged showcasing the dire state of Guatemala's coastline, which is being inundated by a deluge of plastic pollution. The footage, shared on Reddit's r/anticonsumption forum, depicts copious amounts of plastic bottles, trash, and debris washing up on the shores, with each movement of the waves causing the waste to topple over itself and fill almost the entire frame.

This crisis is emblematic of a larger global issue, as developing countries like Guatemala struggle to manage the growing influx of consumer waste. In recent years, several internationally funded projects to build new wastewater infrastructure in Guatemala have been put on hold, exacerbating the problem. The country's historically poor waste management program, limited water treatment facilities, and unregulated landfills have all contributed to the crisis, with sewage pouring into riverways and ultimately depositing into the oceans and critical habitats.

Furthermore, the United States continues to send hundreds of thousands of tons of waste to Latin American countries each year, including Guatemala, effectively using the region as a dumping ground and further aggravating the situation. Efforts to address the issue, such as the installation of bio-fences made from recycled plastic bottles and netting, have had limited impact due to the sheer scale of the problem.

Commenters on the video have expressed their shock and dismay at the devastating environmental consequences of the world's trash and recycling problem, with one user noting that "there is no such place as 'Away'" and that all waste ultimately ends up somewhere, often in the most vulnerable communities.