Spanish Coastal Clean-up Makes Waves: In-Depth Coverage of Ocean Trash

An Alarming Rise: 7.6 Tons More Trash around the Balearic Islands

It’s an age-old seaman’s mantra, "The sea is big, the trash is small," but as a host of data points out, the amount of refuse riding on the waves is anything but small.

Numbers tell a story: garbage boats have collected a staggering increase in trash - 7.6 tons more than the previous year, around Mallorca and neighboring islands in 2023. The figures from the Balearic Coastal Cleanup service are glaring, a significance that can't be overlooked. Municipalities like Pollença, Capdepera, Alcúdia, Felanitx, and Palma have been at the heart of cleanup efforts.

In the annual cleanup campaign run by the new Ocean Ministry, a whopping 27.8 tons of trash were collected off the Balearic Islands from July through September. An average amount of approximately 196 kilograms a day. Leading the pack was Mallorca with 16.9 tons, followed by Menorca with 6.1, Ibiza with 3.7, and Formentera with 1.1.

Bottles, Bags, and Beyond: Plastic Presents an Ongoing Problem

Floating plastics remain a perpetual problem. They occupy nearly half of the materials found. Those hauling them from the waves report that wood accounts for around one-third, and then there’re the amounts of plant remnants.

Moreover, oil spills, largely industrial but also private, create a sustainable and often irreversible water pollution.

Trash Boats: Guardians of the Seas since 2004

The trash boats aren’t new to this battle. Since 2004 they have been active fighters against the contamination of seas during the summer months in the island waters. They are essential actors in this process, and their increasing work reflects both the dramatic amounts of marine litter and the escalating commitment to its removal.

The earth has granted us only one ocean, and it's up to us to protect and preserve it. If the figures from garbage boats are to tell us anything, it's that there's an increasing need and equally, an opportunity to bring about much-needed positive change.