Tijuana’s municipal government received 1,018 environmental complaints through its Botón Verde (Green Button) digital platform between July 1, 2025, and April 22, 2026. The online tool allows residents to report issues ranging from illegal dumping to animal cruelty directly to city authorities.
Animal cruelty topped the list with 397 reports, nearly 39% of all complaints filed. Illegal dumping came second with 128 reports, followed by wastewater spills at 105. The remaining complaints covered unauthorized tree removal, noise pollution, and atmospheric emissions.
How the Green Button Platform Works
Users file reports through Tijuana’s official municipal web portal. The process requires basic personal information, a written description of the problem, and an optional photo upload as evidence. Each submission generates a unique tracking number so residents can follow up on the status of their complaint.
The city’s Environmental Protection Directorate (Dirección de Protección al Medio Ambiente) handles the review and response for all reports. The data was released to coincide with Earth Day on April 22.
Penalties for False Reports
Tijuana’s Environmental Protection Regulations carry penalties for anyone who files a false complaint. Fines range from 20 to 10,000 UMA units. The UMA (Unidad de Medida y Actualización) is Mexico’s standard reference unit for calculating fines and fees. In 2026, one UMA equals approximately 113.14 pesos (about $5.60 USD), meaning the maximum fine could reach roughly 1,131,400 pesos (about $56,000 USD).
The platform is separate from Tijuana’s emergency panic button app, which was relaunched in March 2026 with English-language support. That app, which has been downloaded more than 60,000 times, is designed for safety emergencies and police misconduct reporting. The Botón Verde, by contrast, focuses exclusively on environmental issues.
Context for Tijuana’s Environmental Challenges
Tijuana, a city of roughly 2.3 million people, faces persistent environmental pressures. Wastewater management has been a chronic problem, with cross-border sewage flows into the Tijuana River Valley drawing international attention. The 105 wastewater spill reports logged through the Green Button platform represent just the complaints residents chose to file through this single channel.
The platform is accessible at Tijuana’s official government website. Reports can be filed in Spanish, and no appointment or in-person visit is required.
This story is based on reporting by Punto Norte.