Overview
- A special cleanup, enabled by an unusual drop in the Iguazú River to about 500,000 liters per second, let crews recover nearly 400 kilograms of coins from the falls.
- Authorities say tourists tossed the coins as wishes in a UNESCO World Heritage park where the practice is banned because it harms the ecosystem.
- Chemists warn that coin alloys of copper, nickel and zinc oxidize in water and release metal ions that degrade water quality and can sicken fish and other wildlife.
- Teams also removed plastic bottles, caps, batteries and small electronics, and the most toxic items are being sent to hazardous‑waste treatment.
- Urbia+Cataratas is sorting the haul, with intact currency set to support education and tree‑planting projects with ICMBio, and a local report of donations to two Puerto Iguazú soup kitchens remains unconfirmed as officials push stronger visitor education and regular cleanups.