Turtles and SpaceX ruins on Mexican beach are threatened with extinction
Turtles and SpaceX ruins on Mexican beach are threatened with extinction
The rubble remains after the rocket start: melted plastics, aluminum and pieces of blue glider. All of this ends up on the beaches of Baghdad Beach in northern Tamaulipas, Mexico, where a type of sea turtles threatened with extinction lives. On the other side of the border there is Starbase, the startramp of SpaceX and the company's housing estate.
cleaning up from Conibio Global
Since November 2024, Conibio Global, a small non -governmental organization, has taken on the huge task of eliminating the garbage from SpaceX, one of the most powerful companies in the world.
Jesús Elías Ibarra, founder of Conibio Global, reported that he watched a rocket start from SpaceX in November 2024 and saw one of the booster in the Gulf of Mexico. At that time, according to Ibarra, at least three helicopters and over ten boats arrived within a few hours to start cleaning up. CNN turned to SpaceX to find out whether they were responsible for this cleaning.
environmental concerns after the start
In May, however, there was another start that was connected with more rubble. This time, the activist claimed, landed millions of particles and contaminated the area on the Mexican side. A few days later, the organization collected more than one ton of garbage in an area of 500 meters.
"In half a kilometer of the 40 kilometers of coastline we have already collected a ton of garbage," added Ibarra. "We are a very small group, it is impossible to clean everything." Ibarra explained that Conibio Global handed over the rubble parts to the Mexican environmental authority Profepa.
reactions of SpaceX and other authorities
As a response to inquiries from CNN, SpaceX referred to a June 26, in which they claim, in which they To have offered resources and support for cleaning up. The company also stated that he also requested local and state help from the Mexican government for the rescue of the rubble. According to the space contract, SpaceX is entitled to reclaim its rubble.
The explanation added that the company had carried out tests that show that the typical rubble of SpaceX starts does not involve any chemical, biological or toxicological risks.
cnn turned to the authorities of Tamaulipas and the Mexican presidency regarding the offer of SpaceX and waits for an answer. Ibarra added that Conibio Global had no contact with the company.
dangers from space junk
Marlon Sorge, Managing Director of the Aerospace Corporation for Debris Reentry Studies (Cords), said in an email to CNN that it was best to leave space bread if you find it.
"Although much rubble is not dangerous, vehicles associated with space flight can contain dangerous chemicals and materials," wrote concern. "Be aware that the risk of touching a piece of rubble is not worth it, and it could hinder important investigations."
The dangers for the animal world
Some of the objects found during the cleanup, according to Ibarra, are fixed and spongy plastics, a kind of rubber with a consistency that resembles cork, aluminum with spacex labels, pieces of plastic packaging, steel tubes and parts of a blue adhesive.
Some of these waste, forecast Ibarra, could be absorbed by the Kemp’s Ridley turtles, which are threatened with extinction, who live in the region. On your website, SpaceX emphasizes that you have undertaken to minimize the effects and to improve the environment wherever possible, and emphasize agreements with various US authorities and the Texas government.
a month -long saga
After the recent explosion of a SpaceX rocket on June 19, the NGO reported that the next morning some large fragments appeared in the Mexican area. She stated that several Mexican government officials contacted to be informed about the situation.
Conibio follows SpaceX's social media to find out when starting is planned and goes on site to collect evidence of the rubble that you know from falling. This is done in the northern region of Baghdad Beach and on a piece of parish country in the nearby city of Matamoros.
President comments on environmental damage
The Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commented on the persistent public complaints on June 25th in her daily press conference. Sheinbaum explained that its government found that there was actually pollution and that the effects of rocket starts would be checked as a whole to take measures "in accordance with international laws", including possible legal steps.
iBarra, who is also veterinary and director of the Marine Turtle Program at Conibio Global, explained that the vibrations caused by the rockets compress the sand in the places where turtle nests are, which prevents their hatches. According to him, at least 300 turtle larvae died in the compressed nests.
economic stress and challenges
"There is vegetation that was burned by the last explosion, the entire riparian zone of the Rio Bravo, and the vibrations have thrown many trees that have fallen near a small population," said Ibarra. He added that in several border cities between Tamaulipas and Texas, also of low damage to houses due to the vibrations of the rockets.
A team of environmentalists and staff of the Mexican Navy was on site last week to visit the garbage collected by Conibio. During their visit they found a tank about 4 meters long and a stainless steel tube with a weight of about 5 kg.
The cleaning up the NGO cost more than $ 26,000 in operating costs and beach surveillance, due to the costs for vehicle fuel and wages of workers as well as cleaning costs, according to the organization.
collaboration with the Mexican government
iBarra emphasized that the Mexican government has been working with them since it became aware of the situation, especially because it is a foreign company. He claimed that during a visit to SpaceX drones they were "harassed" that they recorded.
SpaceX did not respond to the request from CNN to Ibara's claims. CNN also contacted the environmental and nature resource authority (SEMARNAT) and the government of Tamaulipas to comment on these statements.
In the explanation of SpaceX on social media, it was mentioned that the rubble is its property and that their attempts to rescue were hindered by people who committed “illegal entering” private property without permission.
CNN asked SpaceX and the government of Tamaulipas to clarify what private property the company refers to. The government of Tamaulipas has always emphasized that it wishes a cooperative relationship with SpaceX. Governor Américo Villarreal visited Starbase in November 2024.
The ongoing problems at the Baghdad Beach
Despite the successful recovery of larger rocket pieces, Ibarra says that the garbage on Baghdad Beach is still a major problem. "The rubble is still there," said Ibarra. "He is no longer as visible as in the photos because the tides spill it, but he is there and he has to be removed sooner or later."
The CNN correspondents Debina Chakraborty and Jackie Wattles contributed to reporting.
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