The strong heat recorded in the last days of 2025 in Rio de Janeiro left the beaches full even in the early hours of the morning. This Sunday around 4 a.m., in Arpoador, the number of bathers was so large that the Comlurb sweepers had to be very careful when working among the bathers. One of the consequences of the crowds on Rio’s beaches was also the increase in waste left by bathers on the sand, which doubled in one week. This Saturday alone, 324.3 tonnes of debris were removed compared to 157.8 tonnes the previous Saturday.
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— Comlub has intensified beach cleaning planning with the arrival of summer. We are expanding teams, strengthening teams and new equipment to guarantee a cleaner coastline. This year, the beaches are busier, even at night. This is why we have structured a continuous cleaning model adapted to the flow of bathers with the Praia Limpa program, which has improved the response of the teams and respect for the environment,” said the director of urban cleaning, Alexandre Campos.
Heat leaves harpoon boat crowded at 4 a.m.
Compared to last Saturday, the increase in the volume of waste was greater precisely in the section that brings together the beaches of Arpoador, Leblon and Ipanema. The total collected increased from 12.80 tonnes to 71.65 tonnes. In other words, a growth of 459.76%
— The movement has really been very big in recent days. We start classes at 6:30 a.m. The beach at this time is so crowded that we even have difficulty setting up our support points. And in the water, we have to pay attention to swimmers about the risk of aligning themselves with the surfers’ routes — explains Marcelo Bispo, an instructor who works at Arpoador.
In Grumari and Prainha, around 7:20 a.m., vehicle access was already closed, because both beaches had already reached the authorized limit on the weekend: 600 and 20 cars respectively.
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